Liz Kendall refuses to retract comments saying too many on benefits are 'taking the mickey'Source ITV News
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00:00Yes, I think they have been stigmatised for the past 14 years.
00:04I speak to so many disabled people who are desperate for a chance of work,
00:08but they need the right help and support, they need flexible working,
00:12they need to make sure that if they've been out of work for a while,
00:14they get the skills support they need.
00:16We've got to overhaul the system because it's not right for people
00:20who are written off and trapped on benefits, and it's not right for the country either.
00:24But once when we met before, and I know you did talk about the many people who wanted to work,
00:27you also said some people were taking the mickey,
00:30and some people have said to us that language really upset them.
00:33Do you regret using that language?
00:35£8 billion a year is wasted on fraud in the benefits system.
00:40That's why we've got a fraud bill going through Parliament now,
00:43and it is because I don't want to see that money wasted on fraud
00:47when it could go on supporting more people like we've seen here today.
00:50They deserve a chance, and that's what this government will give them.
00:53So you do think that people are there who are taking the mickey?
00:56There's £8 billion of fraud every single year,
00:58and you imagine the difference that money could make
01:00to actually helping more people who can work get into work.
01:03I think we've got to have trust in the system,
01:05and we've got to shift the focus more towards helping those who can work get into work.