If the government has to shut down as a result of a standoff when the government's general operating budget expires in late March or the debt ceiling is not raised this spring, Republicans will continue to lose the public's confidence in their ability to govern and the reduction in services will highlight to Americans what the government actually does.

CNN: If spending is cut, GOP will get the blame

"It's now very clear that the government's Work Programme is simply failing as job centre staff now lose all confidence in it and stop referring people to it, " he said.

BBC: UK unemployment falls to 2.51 million, ONS says