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Spectator
01-07-2025
- Business
- Spectator
Fighting welfare rebels, Liz Kendall looked like a woman tortured
That this government is bad at maths will not come as a surprise to many readers. Thus far, however, in its endless parade of resounding successes, this has been mostly confined to miscalculations on the economy. Now, though, government innumeracy seems to have spilled out into its Parliamentary arithmetic too. Despite having a landslide majority, Labour has managed to find itself, not quite a year into power, with a serious backbench rebellion on its hands. This is doubly impressive: not only is the government's majority enormous, it is composed of an intake of infamously supine backbenchers, desperate for attention and promotion from No. 10. They make the 1997 Labour cohort look like The Few. To have provoked this lot into open rebellion is quite the achievement. Enter Liz Kendall, whose flagship welfare reform bill has run into choppy waters as backbenchers threatened to torpedo its passage through parliament. Kendall wanted to give the impression she had come with open ears; 'we've listened' being her most oft repeated introit. In fact, an open chequebook might have been more appropriate. More and more concessions were announced – from a rise in Universal Credit to another £300 million in disability allowances. Reassessments for benefits were stripped back, the constraints on those claiming PiP were watered down. This wasn't just a retreat, it was full-scale surrender. Even so, it was still tough going for Kendall. There were innumerable requests for her to give way, with the queries from her own benches as hostile as those opposite. Labour MPs had self-selected into two groups. Immediately behind Kendall was a gaggle of youthful MPs who looked like the focus group for an acne cream brand. This Praetorian Guard of work experience students huddled protectively to her rear. Next to her were her ministers of state, including a rather melancholy-looking Sir Stephen Timms, on whose upcoming review of the changes Kendall hung much of her argument. Further up the benches were the vultures, Labour veterans of rebellions of yore, greyer and grimmer in outlook. I could swear I saw John McDonnell lick his lips as Kendall struggled to answer for yet another time. A lot of them had turned out, which didn't help the already hot temperatures. Many MPs resorted to fans: varying from Cat Smith's stylish opera-style number to Kim Johnson's vast fanning device – the size of a tennis racket – which looked like it might have been part of the cooling system at a nuclear power plant. Also struggling to keep her cool was Kemi Badenoch in her response. Labour goading when she mentioned the Covid pandemic tipped her over the edge. 'I remember sitting on that side of the House and them demanding that we spend more and more money' she bellowed, visibly angry with the hindsight enthusiasts opposite. Meanwhile the government benches radiated misery. 'I feel sorry for the Right Honourable Lady: she looks like she is being tortured', snapped Mrs Badenoch. Liz Kendall pulled a face which did not exactly dispel that notion. Mrs Badenoch then motioned at the Starmer and Reeves-shaped craters on the government benches. Indeed, the Leader of the Opposition mentioned the Chancellor considerably more than she mentioned anybody else: for her it was very clear where the blame should be laid. Today is the anniversary of the Battle of the Somme: Mrs Badenoch's thrust was that the tradition of sending people over the top without sufficient support was alive and well. There was precious little comfort for Ms Kendall from her own side, either. Rachel Maskell, leader of the rebels and whose amendment it is that could sink the bill, accused the government in a carefully-worded speech of 'lacking mercy' and of having their priorities all wrong. 'We know that those with the broadest shoulders could pay more,' lamented Emma Lewell. (Perhaps; they could also just hop on a plane to Dubai.) Chair of the Work and Pensions committee Debbie Abrahams described the bill as 'a dog's breakfast'. Over on the vulture step, Kim Johnson brandished her inflatable tennis racket and began flapping again. The Lib Dems announced they would be supporting Rachael Maskell, their spokesman, Steve Darling – who is himself blind – accusing the government of creating a two-tier and 'Orwellian' system. They're good at that, it seems. After hours of ceaseless grumbling, Stephen Timms returned to announce the biggest U-turn of all; gutting the reforms entirely and scrapping the section on PIP. But this massive concession only seemed to enrage the rebels further. 'Ootraaageous!' yelled Ian Lavery, brandishing his order paper at the Deputy Speaker. 'This is crazy, man!' One Tory backbencher asked how much of the promised £5 billion savings would the taxpayer now be on the hook for, following the government's various U-turns. (The correct answer is surely, 'every penny of it'). Even Mr Timms, a popular figure on both sides of the House, couldn't get away with his next bit of bluster – a cop-out so clear you could see it from space. 'We'll set out these figures in the usual way,' he replied, triggering gales of laughter on the opposition benches. In the end, the rebels didn't vote down the Maskell amendment – because they didn't need to. The welfare reform was no more! It had ceased to be! It had expired and gone to meet its maker! It was stiff, bereft of life, an ex-bill! Meanwhile, there sat Kendal, the front benches looking more and more like a crater in no man's land and with no sign of a rescue party in sight.
ITV News
16-06-2025
- Business
- ITV News
‘We've got to get the reforms through': PM insists he'll push ahead with welfare cuts
The prime minister insists he'll press ahead with planned welfare cuts, despite the threat of a major rebellion from his MPs. As we near a vote on the benefit reforms in Parliament, an increasing number of backbench Labour MPs have signaled they will vote against the government, or have privately raised concerns about the plans. Despite repeated calls to pause the cuts or rethink them altogether, the PM said 'we have got to get the reforms through, and I have been clear about that from start to finish.' Starmer told reporters travelling to the G7 summit in Canada the government will be 'getting on with' implementing the shake-up of the welfare system. He refused to answer when asked whether he felt he's got the numbers to get the reforms through Parliament. 'The principles remain the same - those who can work should work. Those who need supporting to work should have that support to work,' he said. 'The system is not working, it's not working for those that need support, it's not working for taxpayers. 'Everybody agrees it needs reform, we have got to reform it and that is what we intend to do,' he insisted. The government plans to make it harder for disabled people to claim Personal Independence Payments (Pip), and to freeze universal credit incapacity benefits for existing claimants, while cutting them by 50% for new claimants. The reforms are expected to save £5 billion from the ballooning welfare budget, but critics warn the move will push vulnerable people into poverty. Despite the PM's words, the government is offering 'additional protections' for some of the people affected by the cuts, in order to try and appease MPs. The Guardian revealed there would be a 13 week transition period for those who no longer qualify for PiP under the changes, along with further support during that time. The newspaper also reported that the sickest benefit recipients with less than a year to live, and those with lifelong, incurable conditions will get a higher rate of universal credit and won't have to go through reassessments. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall will also bring in the 'right to work' scheme for people on health and disability benefits at the same time as the bill containing the cuts. This week, Kendall rejected appeals from a committee of MPs to delay the changes, telling them 'we will not avoid or delay the decisive action needed to transform the system'. MPs on the committee had said there needs to be a pause in implementing the reforms while the government carry out a full impact assessment. But Kendall insisted there will be no delay, because the bill needs final sign off from Parliament by November this year for the changes to be in effect from 2026. There are reports up to 170 Labour MPs have raised concerns about the cuts with the government. ITV News understands that includes some senior backbenchers who work as Parliamentary Private Secretaries (PPS) to ministers, and even one junior minister. The legislation needed to bring in the changes is due to be introduced next week, with a vote expected in the week of the June 30. It's unclear exactly how many MPs will vote against the plans, but it's likely to be the biggest rebellion of Starmer's premiership.
Scotsman
26-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Readers' Letters: Labour reforms will only harm disabled people's work prospects
The UK Government's plan to slash disability benefits is just wrong, says reader Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Last Wednesday Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall insisted the massive cuts to disability benefits she was planning would improve people's lives and get more into work. One of the purposes of the Personal Independence Payment (PiP) which will be affected by the cuts is to help finance the purchase of mobility aids such as wheelchairs and crutches, without which some disabled people would not be able to get into their jobs. It is surely absurd to maintain that slashing this 'lifeline' benefit will improve disabled people's employment prospects! Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad I wonder if Ms Kendall has had an opportunity to study the recently published report by data experts Policy In Practice and think tank the Bevan Foundation on the likely impact of Labour's planned overhaul of disability benefits and universal credit in Wales? The bottom line is that an estimated £470 million is likely to be 'sucked out' of the Welsh economy and poverty rates in affected households could more than triple (from 24.5 to 78.4 per cent). Liz Kendall MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, has said welfare changes are 'never easy and rarely popular' (Picture:) Dr Steffan Evans of the Bevan Foundation said: 'it is clear that the UK Government's proposed reforms to the benefits system will have a particularly severe impact on poverty in Wales, making life harder for thousands of disabled people.' It is difficult to view Liz Kendall's cuts as anything other than one more austerity measure. How many Labour MPs will have the courage and compassion to vote against them? Alan Woodcock, Dundee Big deal? As details of the UK-EU trade deal become clearer, the UK Government, even by its own admission, has highlighted that the economic gains resulting from it will be marginal. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad At a recent meeting of G7 finance ministers in Canada, Chancellor Rachel Reeves claimed the deal would add nearly £9 billion to the UK economy by 2040 and boost trade with the EU as Britain's single biggest trading partner. The UK Government estimates that material changes in areas covered, such as fisheries, food and energy, will increase GDP by 0.2 per cent by 2040. Contrasting with this, the Office for Budget Responsibility estimates Brexit will reduce the UK's long-term GDP by approximately 4 per cent compared to remaining in the EU. The deal shows the UK clearly moving towards a relationship with the EU that is the worst of both worlds, formally sovereign, yet locked in ongoing negotiations and deeply enmeshed in EU frameworks across the entire economy. Moreover, these conditions also mean the UK can't strike a trade deal with the US involving food and agriculture unless there is no trans-shipment of goods, or unless the EU signs a trade deal with the US that solves this issue. Trade deals with the likes of India, US and EU simply limit the immense economic damage of Brexit to the UK economy, rather than bringing any benefits. Alex Orr, Edinburgh Reject zonal pricing We all want lower energy bills in Scotland, but zonal pricing – as advocated by Greg Jackson (Perspective, 23 May) – is no magic solution. On the contrary, it risks causing irreparable harm to the country's economy, growth and jobs. Independent experts warn that zonal will increase bills. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The UK's national pricing system ensures all consumers, regardless of location, pay the same wholesale price. This protects remote communities – like the Highlands and Islands – from disproportionately volatile costs due to their distance from demand centres. Zonal pricing would undermine this fairness. A survey by Fairer Energy Future found only 18 per cent of consumers support zonal pricing, while over 60 per cent believe it would lead to higher bills in many areas. The public sees the risk: a postcode lottery where your bill depends not on usage, but on where you live. If voters wanted regional price differences, the current system could be adapted without the disruption zonal pricing would bring. Ofgem previously blocked changes to transmission charges, which could save the taxpayer billions, and those rules could be reversed. Examples promoted by pro-zonal proponents are not success stories – they are a warning for the Government. In Norway, zonal pricing led to Oslo customers paying up to ten times more than those in the north. This disparity contributed to the government's collapse in 2025. The new administration quickly introduced a national capped price option to restore fairness. In Sweden, zonal price gaps have widened fivefold since 2020. Around Stockholm, customers faced volatile, elevated prices. In 2024, a 30 per cent zonal premium hit southern Sweden. When zonal markets go out of balance, they do so quickly – with sharp, unpredictable spikes in high-demand areas. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The reality is stark: £30 billion in renewable investment and 8,000 Scottish jobs are at risk if zonal pricing is introduced. It would also derail Labour's ambitions for green jobs in Scotland, where floating wind represents a major growth opportunity. Instead of breaking the system apart, we should modernise it with practical, fairer and greener steps – getting us to clean power by 2030 without the risks zonal pricing brings. Graham Pannell, Fairer Energy Future Unfair to islands 'What went wrong with Calmac under the SNP?' It's a fair question for a non-Scot to ask! I grew up in Ireland with the Mull of Kintrye and Islay in sight. But at age 32 I more fully experienced the glory of that pretty region as a relief GP and the attractive old world flavour of 1990s Calmac. Everything was clean and neat, cheap tea or coffee was decent quality, and civil Calmac staff dished out generous portions of fried food at a fair price. The UK Government spends billions on overseas aid, and hotel rooms for illegal immigrants. So why shave or stunt lifeline services to remote Hebridean islanders? Labour (or the SNP) may be in no hurry to answer this query! James Hardy, Belfast Write to The Scotsman Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Labour needs new ideas on immigration
Among the slew of reforms to the immigration system to be announced today is a complete ban on visas for overseas care workers. Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, said this would take effect from this year and prevent local authorities and care homes recruiting from abroad. Since there is an estimated shortfall of 160,000 workers in this sector – and an ageing population means demand can only grow – where are the carers to come from? We need to ask some fundamental questions. Why is it that with more than nine million people of working age not in the labour market that we need to bring workers in from abroad at all? Of course many of these people are not indolent; they may be students, full-time mothers, early retirees and the like. None the less, there are millions living on benefits who could work but say they can't for a variety of reasons, often to do with physical or mental health issues. The growth in mental health claimants alone under PiP would go a long way in explaining our current labour shortages across the economy. It is not as if the jobs aren't there but the willingness to do them is absent. The reason is that care work is hard and does not pay very much. Many on welfare will judge it is not worth the candle. The solution, then, is either to cut benefits to the point where people have to work or pay care workers more to make the job worthwhile or a combination of both. The Government is unlikely to risk the wrath of Labour backbenchers by cutting benefits, so Ms Cooper says she will introduce a fair wage for carers, presumably setting a floor beneath which employers cannot go. The history of governments controlling pay levels is not a good one. Moreover, care home owners claim to be operating at the margins of profitability already without having higher wages foisted upon them. The same is true of local councils, many of which are being bankrupted by high care costs foisted upon them by central government. This is not to suggest Ms Cooper is wrong in her approach: the country is demanding a substantial cut in immigration and the two major parties are having to respond to the threat from Reform. But there are consequences that the politicians must be honest about. Ms Cooper says there are about 10,000 overseas care workers already in the country who came for jobs that did not exist and who could be recruited. That may be so, though where they are is anyone's guess. All the talk of retraining British people to do work they have refused so far to contemplate is fanciful. Unless Labour can provide new ideas to old problems, we can expect to see the same issues over immigration repeating themselves. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
