Hancock: Government 'in listening mode' on tax credits

Cabinet Office Minister Matthew Hancock has insisted that government plans to cut tax credits are consistent with what the Conservative Party pledged before the election, and urged the House of Lords not to block the measures.

Speaking to the Today programme, he said the party went into the election calling for £12bn of further savings in welfare and that the House of Commons had debated the matter three times.

“The House of Commons, which has precedence on these financial matters, has considered it, but we are in listening mode,” he told presenter James Naughtie.

“We want to listen to the views that I respect from the House of Lords but we hope that they will not take us down an unprecedented constitutional path."