Tory councillors in Kent reportedly ran a sweepstake on when the £20 universal credit cut would first be mentioned at a town hall meeting.
Speaking at a health overview and scrutiny meeting, Labour’s Cllr Karen Constantine said the £1,040 a year cut earlier this month would force many families into poverty. But her speech was interrupted by opposition members “groaning” in the chamber.
After Cllr Constantine finished talking, Tory councillor Paul Bartlett, who chairs the meeting, explained the reasoning for the interruption.
“The reason why you heard collective groans was because some colleagues have lost the sweepstake as to when the £20 universal credit would be mentioned at this meeting,” he said.
Cllr Constantine represents Ramsgate in Thanet, which has the second highest levels of child poverty in the south of England.
She told The Big Issue she was disgusted fellow elected politicians would joke about such an issue and labelled them “out of touch”.