Unlike criticism in the past from left-wing parties or groups with a vested interest, this damning report was from their own watchdog and said Universal Credit would "never be able to measure whether it has achieved its stated goal of increasing employment."
Derek Thomas, a Christian and Conservative MP was asked by Premier about his party's policy: "I don't think it is embarrassing. You're right that it's taken longer than intended, it has been very complicated...There's no question that families and individuals have suffered hardship that really should have been avoided."
He said he is well aware of people who come to his surgery who have had a bad experience in the transition and said: "We do what we can to help people who are caught in that situation."
Listen to the whole interview with Premier's Cara Bentley here:
When asked about the practical implication, the Conservative MP for St Ive's in Cornwall argued that: "we're hearing that it is a much better system than what we had before."
He said the previous system was complicated, had been around for a long time and that with UC "people know exactly what they're getting".
Thomas pointed out how, previously, people in his constituency found it was not in their own interests to work more than a certain amount hours because their benefits were disrupted: "The minute they go over those hours, their benefits which they rely on to raise their family are immediately disrupted and cause hardship."
Citing people in social care and hospitality as those form who the previous system did not work, he admitted: "The transition is tricky" but added "I know from experience that people who are working are able to work extra hours."
The Trussell Trust Christian group of food banks took the opposite view on Premier's breakfast show, as do the Methodist Church.
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