Chancellor Rishi Sunak has gained permission to build a swimming pool, tennis court and gym at his North Yorkshire mansion just weeks before cutting universal credit for millions and ending furlough support.
Hambleton District Council granted planning permission for the development at the grounds of the grade II listed house, the Northern Echo reported, where Sunak has lived since before being elected MP for the area in 2015.
But people have hit out at the chancellor for going ahead with the works – which will include construction of a stone building to house the swimming pool, an outdoor tennis court and a wildlife area – when campaigners, opposition MPs and former Tory welfare ministers are calling for him to scrap the planned £20-a-week cut to universal credit.
“I’m sure the universal credit claimants having to go back to surviving on £70 per week will be overjoyed for him,” said author Clive Hallam on Twitter.
I’m sure the Universal Credit claimants having to go back to surviving on £70 per week will be overjoyed for himhttps://t.co/XMyZ7y8o9N
— Clive Hallam 🇪🇺🇬🇧Proud European 💉💉💉 (@challam19) August 27, 2021
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) said the cut, scheduled for the end of September, will be the biggest overnight reduction in the basic rate of social security payments since the Second World War.