Arson case stokes U.K. welfare debate

Minister courts outrage with comments on man who killed 6 children

LONDON— By wading into the shocking case of a jobless man who killed six children in a botched revenge plot, Britain’s finance minister upped the stakes in an impassioned row over whether the welfare system was affordable at a time of deep spending cuts.

Thursday’s surprise comments by George Osborne came just days after the government started to overhaul a welfare system that costs $300 billion a year and is deemed by Osborne and his Conservative party as too expensive. Osborne was asked whether Mick Philpott, a man living on benefits who killed six of his children in a house fire, was the “vile product” of the welfare system, a charge made by right-leaning media including the Daily Mail newspaper. Philpott was sentenced to life in prison Thursday for his role in the fire.

“Philpott is responsible for these absolutely horrendous crimes and these are crimes that have shocked the nation,” Osborne said in televised remarks during a visit to the town of Derby, where the tragedy took place in May last year.

“But I think there is a question for government and for society about the welfare state and the taxpayers who pay for the welfare state subsidizing lifestyles like that, and I think that debate needs to be had,” said Osborne, who is leading cuts to government spending.

The comments drew immediate criticism from the opposition Labour Party and anti-poverty charities, who said Osborne was seeking to score political points from a case which had nothing to do with the wider issue of welfare.

The historic system aimed at improving health, education and social security is a source of pride for many Britons, but has polarized the political right and left especially since the government launched its austerity drive to bring down huge debt.

Britain’s right-wing press demonized Philpott, 56, who has been jobless since 1991. Philpott set fire to his own house in May 2012 when the six kids were asleep upstairs, part of an elaborate plan to rescue the kids, emerge a hero and blame the fire on a mistress who had recently left him. But the blaze raged out of control and the children, aged 5 to 13, died of smoke inhalation.

Philpott’s wife, Mairead, 31, and his friend Paul Mosley, 46, were jailed for 17 years each for their role in the arson plot.