The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has made it clear he is going ahead with the Government's plans to reform the welfare state, although he admitted the radical proposals might be painful and difficult.

Tony Blair shrugs off welfare criticism

Once again, Mr Blair promised that those truly in need would not be harmed. He also said he believed the British public was behind him.

"I didn't come into politics to harm people who are genuinely disabled or in need. Of course, I am not going to do that," he told the BBC Political Editor, Robin Oakley.

"But it can't be right - and this is why we will stand fast on this programme - to be spending as much money as we do _ whilst people who are in poverty don't get the help that they need."

The disabled protest outside Downing Street

Mr Blair dismissed the protestors who smeared blood on the gates of Downing Street as the same ones who opposed his overhaul of the Labour party.

"I think that the vast majority of people out there in the country know that we are right to fundamentally assess whether the welfare state is working and see, for example, how we can help people off welfare and into work."

Mr Blair has been fighting an uphill battle against those who fear they will have their benefits cut - and some Labour MPs.

"I don't believe they are listening to us. They are too busy telling us they are going to go ahead regardless," said Audrey Wise, a Labour MP. "They come at us almost with fists up."

There was a back-bench Labour revolt when the Government proposed and successfully passed legislation to cut benefits to lone parents earlier this month.

The Government has yet to outline details of its welfare reform plan.
 

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