PM and ministers now admit welfare reforms went too far
It was only 10 days ago that embattled Welfare Secretary Liz Kendall, trying to convince MPs to back her reforms, said ministers were "firm in our convictions".
People on Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and universal credit were too often being "written off", while the welfare bill was becoming unsustainable.
After an unprecedented rebellion by Labour MPs forced the prime minister into a significant retreat, today sees an interesting shift in those convictions.
Her colleague Wes Streeting, who was drafted onto calls with angry backbenchers, tells Sky News he didn't want disabled people in his constituency surgeries on a Friday, telling him they were worse off when that was not the intention.
This is exactly what many Labour MPs and disability groups were arguing was inevitable if current claimants were stripped of their benefits.
Sir Keir Starmer, in a series of Sunday newspaper interviews in which he reflects on mistakes, says he now believes there was no point ploughing ahead with something which "doesn't necessarily achieve the desired outcome".
Having rushed forward these reforms to save £5bn in the spending review, it now seems ministers are admitting the package needed more thought.
The welfare bill is rising sharply, and many voters broadly support the idea of tackling it.
But even if the draft legislation, which will affect new benefit claimants only, is voted through (and that's still an "if'", with dozens of Labour MPs still weighing it up), this debacle - for many MPs at least - goes to the heart of whose side the government is on.
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The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
My hostage son is chained up alone & going blind in Gaza dungeons while sick Hamas captors are CELEBRATED at Glastonbury
Scroll down to read more about the horrific treatment of hostages being held by vile Hamas FORGOTTEN PLIGHT My hostage son is chained up alone & going blind in Gaza dungeons while sick Hamas captors are CELEBRATED at Glastonbury THEY both set out to celebrate peace and love. But while Glastonbury was this weekend awash with support for Palestine, there was little if any recognition of the 378 people massacred by Hamas at the Nova music festival in Israel on October 7, 2023. Advertisement 19 While Glastonbury was awash with Palestine support, there was little recognition of the 378 people killed by Hamas at the Nova music festival in Israel on October 7 2023 Credit: Alamy 19 Hostage Elkana Bohbot, right, with sibling Uriel before the October 7 attacks Credit: Doug Seeburg Amid a sea of Palestine flags waved by the crowds at Worthy Farm, punk performers Bob Vylan chanted, 'Death to the IDF' and Northern Irish rappers Kneecap led a chorus of 'F*** Keir Starmer'. The victims of the atrocity nearly two years ago — which marked the onset of full-scale war — were all but forgotten. Instead, here in the UK, its perpetrators were held up as heroes. You would have had to look hard to spot a flag at Glastonbury honouring those killed or taken hostage at the Nova festival. Advertisement Unsuspecting party-goers there were slain amid a hail of bullets and rockets as waves of Hamas fighters swarmed across the border from Gaza. Rockets blasted across the border from Gaza. It became the scene of the biggest massacre at a music event in history. Incredibly, festivals held since then have not only failed to acknowledge what happened at the Israel gig, but have at times celebrated the terrorists behind the devastation. Advertisement The attack on the event, as well as small villages and towns near the Gaza border on that same day, led to a conflict that has seen thousands of Palestinians killed as Israel continues in its quest to dismantle Hamas and return its hostages. Lebanon and Syria have become different countries with the weakening of Hezbollah. Fury as Glastonbury crowd chants 'death to the IDF' during Bob Vylan set aired live on BBC One member of the band Kneecap faces terror charges for allegedly waving the group's flag at a London gig. And the recent 12-day war between Iran and Israel has brought more death and destruction to both nations, yet Israel seems no closer to getting its hostages back. Advertisement 'Grief and pain' The taken no longer feel like a key focus amid the fighting. Of the approximately 250 people who were originally taken captive by Hamas, around 50 are still believed to remain in war-stricken Gaza over 600 days later. Twenty of them are thought to be alive — nine were from the Nova Festival. We want to emphasise that bringing back the remaining 50 hostages is the key to achieving complete Israeli victory. There will be no victory until the last hostage returns Israel's Hostages And Missing Families Forum Slowly, as the Israeli army takes over increasing tranches of the territory, it is finding bodies of dead hostages. Advertisement Eight have been recovered so far this month. On June 21, a military operation retrieved the remains of three people who had been taken captive — Yonatan Samerano, 21, Ofra Keidar, 71, and Sgt Shai Levinson, 19. Israel's Hostages And Missing Families Forum — which represents some of the hostages' relatives — said: 'Alongside the grief and pain, their return provides some comfort to the families who have waited in agony, uncertainty and doubt. 'We want to emphasise that bringing back the remaining 50 hostages is the key to achieving complete Israeli victory. There will be no victory until the last hostage returns.' Advertisement One of those caged in the tunnels is Alon Ohel, who is in desperate need of medical attention as shrapnel in his eye is slowly blinding him. Throughout his ordeal, it is music that has kept him going, his mother Idit tells The Sun. Alon started playing the piano when he was nine, with Elton John a particular hero and inspiration. The British pop star's music is likely being sung by the gentle 24-year-old in the tunnel dungeons of Gaza as he tries to keep himself sane. Advertisement Sir Elton has previously declared himself a fan of Kneecap — admitting he 'loves everything about them'. Alon was held with three other hostages, who were released in previous ceasefire deals. They have told his mother about the nightmare he is enduring. 'Their legs were chained for many months, they were starved and sometimes they were badly beaten,' says Idit. Advertisement 19 Hamas terrorists used motorised paragliders during the attack 19 Wrecked and burnt out vehicles at the festival site Credit: EPA 'But at least they had each other. The three men Alon was held with have all been released. 'But we believe he is now on his own and, of course, we are so worried about it. Advertisement 'The only thing that keeps me going is the hope that he will come out alive.' MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!! Donald Trump There has been a new ceasefire deal on the table for many weeks, which could secure Alon's freedom, but Hamas has refused to sign it. Even though it would put an end to the horrendous suffering of the Palestinian people, it would mean them losing their hold on Gaza. Just want them home Yesterday morning, US President Donald Trump, who has said he is hopeful a peace deal could be agreed in the next week, highlighted the plight of the hostages on Truth Social, writing in bold capital letters: 'MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!! DJT.' Advertisement The question for the Israeli PM, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his cabinet remains: Save the hostages and allow Hamas to keep hold of Gaza, or try to completely defeat Hamas and risk the loss of the hostages? This is why the families of those still being held are so determined they never be forgotten. They just want them home. The hostages are rarely talked about any more in television coverage of the conflict. Advertisement In countries in the West, posters of them are torn down. When Israeli forces took command of a Gaza-bound aid boat carrying climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, she claimed she had been 'kidnapped'. It was alleged she and other activists declined to watch footage of the October 7 horrors. But the hostages are an ever-present reminder of Hamas's cruelty and the fact that they are — whatever the BBC may or may not have called them — a terrorist group. Advertisement 19 At Glastonbury this week, punk performers Bob Vylan chanted, 'Death to the IDF' Credit: Getty 19 Northern Irish rappers Kneecap led a chorus of 'F*** Keir Starmer' Credit: PA Windsor MP Jack Rankin has raised the case of Nova hostage Avinatan Or, 31, whose mother Ditza is British, in Parliament. He was twinned with Avinatan's family as part of the Hostages And Missing Families Forum UK, and met with them last December. Advertisement Avinatan's kidnap, alongside girlfriend Noa Argamani, became front page news as they were pulled away from each other by terrorists who filmed it and put it on social media. The politician says he is disgusted that there is apparent support for Hamas at Glastonbury and a failure to remember those murdered at Nova. 'The juxtaposition is quite sick, to be honest, and I put a lot of it down to a huge degree of naivety on the part of Western society,' says Jack, who hosted Ditza at the House of Commons in March. 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Advertisement Three were reportedly murdered. 19 Alon Ohel Credit: IDF 19 Guy Gilboa-Dalal and Evyatar David Credit: Supplied 19 Avinatan Or Credit: Supplied Advertisement 19 Eitan Abraham Mor Credit: Supplied 19 Guy Illouz (murdered) Credit: Supplied 19 Bar Abraham Kupershtein Credit: Supplied 19 Inbar Hayman (murdered) Credit: Supplied Advertisement 19 Maxim Herkin Credit: Supplied 19 Uriel Baruch (murdered) Credit: Supplied 19 Segev Kalfon Credit: Supplied 19 Rom Braslavski Credit: Supplied Advertisement 19 Idan Shtivi (murdered)
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
The BBC have made error after error in their anti-Israel coverage since October 7
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