Over 40 Church of England bishops have signed an letter to the government in the media criticising its Benefits Uprating Bill as an attack on the poorest.

The Convener of the Church of Scotland’s Church and Society Council, has called on Chancellor Osborne to apologise for his "propaganda war on the poor".

The dismissal of whole sections of society as comparatively worthless by politicians and the media seems bad enough, but in a recent radio discussion about global population growth, the term ‘useless eaters’ was used, says Berandette Meaden. This chilling phrase is used by some people to refer to anybody who consumes resources without producing any. A dangerous philosophy is being created on this basis. It stigmatises disabled people, the poor and many more besides.