Shadow housing minister Jack Dromey today spoke in Gloucester of his disgust for Mick and Mairead Philpott, the 'grotesque' parents who have been convicted of the manslaughter of six of their children in an attempt to get a new council house.
And when asked about jobless Churchdown mum-of-11 Heather Frost's plans to move to a six-bed 'mansion' he said that it was right that the government should 'tackle abuse' in the benefits system.
But he says families such as the Frosts and Philpotts should not be used as an excuse to attack other people who are on benefits.
He was visiting the Asda supermarket at Metz Way to talk to shoppers about the effects of new government cuts coming into effect this week.
On the Heather Frost scandal, Labour MP Mr Dromey said: "I don't for one minute condone people who abuse the welfare system.
"It is right for any government to tackle abuse."
And Mr Dromey was damning about the Philpott family.
Mick Philpott has been handed a life sentence for killing six children in the Derby house fire - while his wife Mairead and family friend Paul Mosley have been jailed for 17 years.
The trio had been convicted of six counts of manslaughter on Tuesday, following an intense seven-week trial at Nottingham Crown Court.
Mr Dromey said: "They are a disgrace to this country and a grotesque family who deserve to go to prison for a long time.
"But the government talks the whole time using shameful language about shirkers and strivers.
"These people are a very small minority and we must not forget that.
"Of those receiving disability living allowance, just 0.5 per cent are abusing the system. To put that another 99.5 per cent are not."
His message to shoppers was that it was wrong to put in tax cuts for millionaires and that the 'bedroom tax' - a charge for unused bedrooms in people's rented homes -
should be scrapped.
He also wants to propose a massive nationwide house building programme to create jobs and deal with the housing crisis.
And when asked about jobless Churchdown mum-of-11 Heather Frost's plans to move to a six-bed 'mansion' he said that it was right that the government should 'tackle abuse' in the benefits system.
But he says families such as the Frosts and Philpotts should not be used as an excuse to attack other people who are on benefits.
He was visiting the Asda supermarket at Metz Way to talk to shoppers about the effects of new government cuts coming into effect this week.
On the Heather Frost scandal, Labour MP Mr Dromey said: "I don't for one minute condone people who abuse the welfare system.
"It is right for any government to tackle abuse."
And Mr Dromey was damning about the Philpott family.
Mick Philpott has been handed a life sentence for killing six children in the Derby house fire - while his wife Mairead and family friend Paul Mosley have been jailed for 17 years.
The trio had been convicted of six counts of manslaughter on Tuesday, following an intense seven-week trial at Nottingham Crown Court.
Mr Dromey said: "They are a disgrace to this country and a grotesque family who deserve to go to prison for a long time.
"But the government talks the whole time using shameful language about shirkers and strivers.
"These people are a very small minority and we must not forget that.
"Of those receiving disability living allowance, just 0.5 per cent are abusing the system. To put that another 99.5 per cent are not."
His message to shoppers was that it was wrong to put in tax cuts for millionaires and that the 'bedroom tax' - a charge for unused bedrooms in people's rented homes -
should be scrapped.
He also wants to propose a massive nationwide house building programme to create jobs and deal with the housing crisis.
