Hague: Child benefit cut 'tough but fair'

Senior British Cabinet minister William Hague insisted today that the abolition of child benefit for higher-rate taxpayers was “tough but fair”, as the row over the measure threatened to overshadow David Cameron’s first speech to the Conservative Party conference as Prime Minister.

Mr Cameron last night apologised for not being upfront with voters about the need for cuts to the universal benefit in his manifesto for the May General Election.