PCS: Iain Duncan Smith should apologise for outrageous spin

PCS: Iain Duncan Smith should apologise for outrageous spin

PCS: Iain Duncan Smith should apologise for outrageous spin

Public and Commercial Services union general secretary Mark Serwotka has called on work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith to apologise for *outrageous spin* over allegations jobcentre staff are being forced to stop people*s benefits to meet targets, saying:

*When this story broke Mr Duncan Smith described it as *claptrap* and a *conspiracy*, but faced with the overwhelming evidence that these targets are still in place, his department has been forced to backtrack.

*The secretary of state should issue a full and public apology for what was a piece of outrageous spin when he must have known what was happening. When MPs return from their Easter break, he should also be asked to explain to parliament why he tried to mislead the public in his TV interview.

*We fundamentally oppose the use of targets for welfare sanctions and we call on the Department for Work and Pensions to put an immediate stop to this abuse of the system*.

ENDS

Notes

– For information and interview requests contact PCS national press officer Richard Simcox on 020 7801 2747 or 07833 978216

– The Public and Commercial Services union represents civil and public servants in central government. It has more than 300,000 members in over 200 departments and agencies, and in parts of government transferred to the private sector. PCS is the UK*s sixth largest union and is affiliated to the TUC. The general secretary is Mark Serwotka and the president is Janice Godrich – on Twitter @janicegodrich

– Follow PCS on Twitter @pcs_union