Labour Widens Attack on Household Benefit Cap

Labour has widened its attack on the government's £26,000-per-household benefit cap and called on the Liberal Democrats to back plans to lower the housing benefit bill by regulating profiteering private landlords. Labour is backing a localised benefit cap in an effort to avoid alienating working class supporters that favour the principle of a cap. The shadow work and pensions secretary, Liam Byrne, has written to the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, asking for a meeting to discuss supporting reforms to tighten the housing benefit bill, notably tighter regulation of private sector landlords. Byrne argues that escalating housing benefit costs lie at the root of the mushrooming welfare bill and much of this increase has been caused by profiteering private sector landlords. Read more on the Guardian website.