In the leaked video published by Mother Jones, Mitt Romney claimed that 47% of Americans "pay no income tax", people who he could "never convince … to take personal responsibility and care for their lives".

He described such people as those "who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to healthcare, to food, to housing, to you-name-it".

At a press conference designed to limit the damage to his election campaign, he did not disavow the claim but said Obama's policies are "attractive to people who do not pay taxes".