Susanna Reid clashes with Dame Diana Johnson over winter fuel payments

Transcript

00:00Is it fair what the Chancellor's doing?

00:01I think it's a really... Will you tell us it's a fair thing to do?

00:04I think it's a really difficult decision.

00:06I fully appreciate that. Can I just ask, on behalf of our viewers,

00:09can you stop saying it's a difficult decision?

00:12OK. We all understand you have to make choices.

00:16You've made this particular choice.

00:17You didn't find it difficult because you made it.

00:20So, is it the right decision?

00:22Well, I'm a Home Office Minister.

00:24This is a decision by the Chancellor of the Exchequer...

00:27Do you think it's the right decision?

00:28You're in the government. You're a minister.

00:31Can I just say, she's got the overview of government

00:33that I haven't got.

00:34I've got an overview of what's happening in the Home Office

00:37and I've explained to you about the black hole there.

00:39OK, let me ask, will you vote for it tomorrow?

00:42I will reluctantly have to vote for it, yes.

00:44So, you think it's the right decision, then?

00:46I recognise that we are making some really difficult decisions

00:50because of the inheritance of the last 14 years.

00:52Honestly, I am going to say, on behalf of...

00:54Can you stop saying it's a difficult decision?

00:56It's a hard decision.

00:58It's a really hard decision.

00:59OK, is it the right decision? That's the question.

01:02You're voting for it tomorrow,

01:03so you must think it's the right decision.

01:05Because if you thought it was the wrong decision,

01:07you would vote against it.

01:09Well, look, I'm a member of the Labour government

01:11that's been in power for 10 weeks.

01:13The Chancellor, who's had a good look at the books,

01:16has identified £22 billion worth of a black hole

01:21that needs to be filled.

01:22The Prime Minister has said, very clearly,

01:25we are going to have to make some really difficult decisions

01:28to get the economy back on its feet.