Therese Coffey has clashed with Kay Burley over government plans to exempt developers from having to build affordable homes.
According to The Times, levelling up secretary Simon Clarke has suggested the move as part of plans to boost house-building and grow the economy.
But asked about the proposals on Sky News this morning, the deputy prime minister said she knew nothing about it.
And despite warnings by the Institute for Fiscal Studies that Kwasi Kwarteng will need to find £60 billion in public spending cuts to pay for his disastrous mini-budget, Coffey insisted: “We’re in a good place.”
During the tense exchanges, Burley said: “Apparently ministers have drawn up plans to exempt developers from having to build affordable homes to scrap environmental protections and to allow people to add extensions without permission, according to Simon Clarke. That’s not right?”
Coffey replied: “I’m not aware of that policy, but if you want to ask Simon Clarke about policies ...”
Burley then responded: “But you’re the deputy prime minister, with all due respect.”
Coffey hit back: “Well you’re just throwing comments at me Kay, I’m not aware of specific things like that.”
Burley then said: “OK, how interesting.”
Coffey also denied that Kwarteng had brought forward his medium-term fiscal plan to Halloween because the City had reacted badly to his mini-budget.
She said: “I think it’s about doing a lot of work at pace, but I think he decided we’re in a good state and we’ll continue to discuss this across government and with parliamentary colleagues over the weeks ahead.”
And on the £60 billion black hole in the government finances, Coffey said: “The government is united, we have to get growth and that will help us fund our public sector in the future.”