Tory peer apologies over "breeding" gaffe

Former vice chairman of Britain's opposition Conservative party Howard Flight leaves his home southern England.

LONDON (Reuters) - A newly appointed Conservative peer apologised unreservedly on Thursday after saying welfare changes would encourage people on benefits to "breed."

The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition is cutting child benefit payments from families in the top tax brackets to help tackle a record budget deficit.

Howard Flight, a former Conservative Party deputy chairman, had told the Evening standard: "We're going to have a system where the middle classes are discouraged from breeding because it's jolly expensive, but for those on benefit there is every incentive. Well, that's not very sensible."

Prime Minister David Cameron immediately distanced himself from the comments, which threaten to undermine his efforts to counter opposition claims that the Conservative party is uncaring and class-ridden.

"I don't agree with what he said and I am sure that he will want to apologise for what he has said, and I think we can probably leave it at that," Cameron said.

As Britain prepares for 81 billion pounds of austerity cuts over the next four years, Cameron has been keen to promote the idea that the pain will be shared fairly across society.

Flight initially said his comments had been taken out of context, but later issued a statement saying: "I apologise unreservedly for any offence caused, and would like to withdraw the remarks."

Flight, who is not a member of the government, was a member of parliament between 1997 and 2005.

He resigned as Conservative Party deputy chairman shortly before the 2005 general election after being secretly recorded saying the party planned higher cuts if elected than detailed in its campaign.

He was appointed to the Lords as Conservative peer last week.

It is the second time in days that a Conservative politician has been forced to backtrack on their comments.

Last week David Young, a senior aide to Cameron resigned after saying most Britons have "never had it so good."

(Reporting by Tim Castle; Editing by Steve Addison)