TORY shadow home secretary Chris Philp sparked fury today after “patronising” workers with “out of touch” claims that Britain needs a better work ethic.

Mr Philp said there are nine million working age adults not in employment and the country “needs everyone to make a contribution” to keep up with countries like China and India.

He said he had worked hard in his career to set up businesses, adding: “It’s worked for me, it can work for the country as well.”

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “These patronising comments show just how out of touch the Conservatives are. 

“The problem isn’t people’s work ethic – it’s the fact that work doesn’t pay. 

“One in six workers in this country are skipping meals every week to make ends meet. This is the legacy of 14 years of falling living standards under the Tories. 

“Instead of insulting daworking people the Tories should be supporting plans to boost workers’ rights and wages. 

“But instead they are opposing plans that will improve the livelihoods of millions.” 

Labour said the Conservatives had “real brass neck” to tell the public the previous government’s economic failures were “really all their fault.”

“It’s the same old Tories. They haven’t changed and they’ve learned nothing,” a party spokesperson said.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves however has said “those who can work will work” and opined that “as a country we cannot keep footing the bill for the spiralling numbers of people out of work.”

She has also accepted £3 billion of cuts to the welfare budget that had been pencilled in by the previous Conservative government.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall also warned young people  last November that they could lose their benefits if they chose not to embrace “new opportunities” offered by government.

A spokeswoman for left campaign group  Momentum said: “The Labour leadership uses rhetoric straight from the Tory playbook when targeting benefit claimants and the unemployed.

“A Labour government with real Labour values would stand up for the sick and unemployed.

“Any attempts to demonise them are shameful.”

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper also criticised Mr Philp, saying his own “work ethic” as chief secretary to the Treasury under Liz Truss had “crashed the economy in just 39 days.”

She said: “The British public will no doubt take his advice with a bucketload of salt.”