IAIN Duncan Smith MP said he is set to reform the benefits system under his new role as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

The Conservative MP recently held his seat in Chingford and Woodford Green and was subsequently given a role in the Con/Lib Dem coalition Government's cabinet.

The former Conservative leader told the Guardian that he plans to put into practice many of the findings from the Centre for Social Justice think tank, which he founded, to help workers on low-incomes.

He said: “The Centre for Social Justice did a lot of work and I will be looking at how to reform the Back to Work programmes to make them more proficient and simpler.

“The second thing is to look at reforming the benefits system. We have a system where taxes are taken from the bottom and it doesn't make work pay – we need to make work pay.”

When asked about working side by side with the Lib Dems, the MP said he's never had a problem working with other parties and will simply, “get on with it”.

The Centre for Social Justice will continue but its founder will be taking a step back because of his new responsibilities, he says.

He said: “There is so much I have written about, it is time to do what I have written about at the Centre for Social Justice.

"I really want to make it work because so many people are damaged by systems that don't work.”

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