Wes Streeting slams Sky News host's 'mischief' after he asks 'rubbish' question
Health Secretary Wes Streeting launched a passionate defence of Keir Starmer as he branded 'mischief making' talk about the Prime Minister's position a 'load of old rubbish'
Wes Streeting reacted with fury when he was asked if he'd ever want to be Prime Minister and slammed the "mischief making" of the Sky News host.
The Health Secretary launched a passionate defence of Keir Starmer as he branded talk about the PM's position a "load of old rubbish". It comes as Mr Starmer faces questions over the direction of his government after a series of U-turns on winter fuel payments and welfare.
Asked by Sky News' Trevor Phillips whether he'd ever want the "top job", Mr Streeting hit back firmly: "I know exactly what you're up to, and it's mischief making, and it's a load of rubbish, and I'm not entertaining it."
He continued: "The fact is that we have got, in Keir Starmer, a Prime Minister who is delivering real change in our country. Of course, it takes time, and I'm not pretending for a moment that all of the problems in our country have been solved, far from it.
"Even on the NHS, where I think we've made real progress in our first year, there is so much more to do. There's not a hint of complacency, but we came in to change the country, and that's what we're doing."
Defending his boss, Mr Streeting praised Mr Starmer having brought back Labour from the depths of despair after its catastrophic performance at the 2019 General Election. The Cabinet minister went on: "And the final thing I'd say about Keir is that, as well as being a thoroughly decent person, he did something that no one thought he could do, which was to win the Labour leadership and lead us back from the worst defeat since 1935 (at the 2019 election) to winning that big election victory last year.
"He's shown real leadership on the world stage and has gotten credit for the way in which he's tried to bring Europe and the United States together to tackle the world's problems.
"He's also showing real leadership at home to reform our public services and to create a fairer, more equal, more just society. That's what this Labour Government is about. We've barely just begun. Change has begun, but the best is still to come."
Next weekend will mark a year since Mr Starmer won a landslide election victory. But now, the PM is battling flagging poll ratings, rebellious Labour MPs and the surge of Nigel Farage 's Reform UK.
Some Labour MPs have grown uneasy over the direction of the Government, culminating in a major rebellion over welfare cuts. The PM was last week forced into a climbdown over plans to cut Personal Independent Payments to avoid a humiliating defeat in the Commons. He had faced losing a crunch vote on his welfare legislation next week after 126 backbenchers signed a rebel amendment.
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Starmer's disability benefit concessions are not enough, says rebel Labour whip
The Labour whip who resigned in protest against disability benefit cuts has said Keir Starmer's concessions do not yet go far enough to win her over, as No 10 launched a fresh attempt to stem the revolt against its welfare bill. Vicky Foxcroft, who quit her frontbench role over the welfare bill a little more than a week ago, urged the government to work jointly on the changes with disabled people and to publish the review of the system before bringing in cuts. In an interview with the Guardian, Foxcroft said she had not made up her mind how to vote on Tuesday but would need assurances about further improvements. 'I would hope that actually we start to ensure we listen to disabled people and their organisations right across government. This isn't just about warm words. This is about making sure we get policy right,' she said. Starmer is facing a challenging 48 hours as No 10 battles to persuade Labour MPs to back the welfare bill now that the government has promised that current claimants of personal independence payment (Pip) will not be subject to proposed cuts. It also pledged that the health element of universal credit will rise at least in line with inflation. The Department for Work and Pensions will on Monday publish the terms of reference for a review of personal independence payment (Pip) to be undertaken by a minister, Stephen Timms, which the government says will be 'co-produced' with disabled people. It will set out £300m of employment support to be brought forward over the next three years, and publish draft regulations on the 'right to try' – allowing disabled people to try work without risking their financial support. Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, said: 'This is about delivering a fairer, more compassionate system as part of our plan for change which supports people to thrive, whatever their circumstances.' However, critics of the welfare cuts will be looking carefully at the timetable for the Timms review, as many want to see it published before the reduction in Pip due in November this year. Alternatively, they want to see the cuts delayed until after the review of the system is published. Dozens of Labour MPs appear yet to be convinced, with estimates that 50 to 60 would like to see further changes, although one of the leading original critics, Louise Haigh, the former transport secretary, said she was now likely to back the legislation. Meg Hillier, the Treasury committee chair, has also switched to say she will back the bill, but many others are waiting to see further details. In her first interview since quitting, Foxcroft said it was 'good to hear that people won't be losing their benefits who are currently on them' but said there were 'areas where I still think there's need for movement'. The MP said one of the biggest issues was the need for co-production with disabled people and disability groups, and that should have happened 'absolutely from the start'. 'This is the problem. And this is why a lot of people have said, 'Can we delay this? Can we pause this until we ensure that we properly get it right?' Right now, we're kind of tinkering in terms of things to make it the least worst situation we can, and we need to learn lessons from that and make sure that we get these things right going forward,' she said. The former shadow minister for disabled people said she would also like to see the Pathways to Work review by Timms published before the implementation of the bill that would bring in cuts. The 12-week consultation period began on 7 April. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Foxcroft said she did not see herself as a rebel and had not wanted to resign but felt welfare bill plans would hurt the most vulnerable and she knew she could not whip or vote for something she did not believe in. She said the whips had been 'raising … for months' that Labour MPs were not happy with the disability cuts and that potentially part of the problem for Downing Street had been 'maybe ensuring that you listen to what the chief whip says'. But she said it was important that the prime minister 'appreciates he needs to be in listening mode more … and I think you've got to really respect it when somebody does come out and say that'. Starmer acknowledged in an interview with the Sunday Times that he did not get a grip on the Labour rebellion over disability benefits earlier because he was focused on foreign affairs. The prime minister acknowledged he had not got it right, and said he would have wanted to make the concessions earlier. 'I'd have liked to get to a better position with colleagues sooner than we did,' Starmer said. 'I'm putting this as context rather than an excuse.' Foxcroft is one of dozens of Labour MPs who remain worried about the changes, despite concessions made by Kendall in a midnight email on Thursday. Marie Tidball, a Labour MP who has a disability and chairs two all-party groups on autism and disability, wrote in the Guardian on Sunday that she wanted the bill to be produced along with disabled people, to promise more consultation over the summer, and to do better on enabling more people to work. 'Fundamentally, I will be looking for further reassurances that the detail will fulfil Labour's manifesto commitments to disabled people,' she said. Olivia Blake, one of the few Labour MPs with a disclosed disability, also accused the government of creating an 'unethical two-tier system' by its welfare bill concessions – and urged rebels to stand firm. The Disability Labour-affiliated group is also asking all MPs to oppose the legislation. In another development, a legal opinion commissioned by the union Equity and given by Jamie Burton KC of Doughty Street Chambers, concluded that 'the aggressive measures set out in the government's proposals will inevitably result in very serious breaches of the UK's obligations under the UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities and the international covenant on economic, social and cultural rights.' He added: 'They are likely to be condemned by the treaty-monitoring bodies, who have become all too familiar with very similar reforms designed to cut the welfare bill and promote work, but which ultimately result in yet further and longstanding human rights violations for disabled people.' A DWP spokesperson said: 'The secretary of state has carefully considered, and will continue to consider, all her legal obligations and is satisfied that these reforms are lawful.'
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Labour benefits cuts latest: Starmer battles to quell 50-strong MP rebellion with just hours left until vote
Sir Keir Starmer is launching a last-minute attempt to win over dozens of Labour MPs rebelling against his welfare reforms. Around 50 Labour MPs are still thought to be planning to vote against the bill in a crunch vote on Tuesday, despite the prime minister offering concessions on the legislation last week. The original welfare bill proposed to introduce a higher bar for eligibility for the Personal Independence Payment (Pip), and cut the health-related element of universal credit. But after more than 100 Labour MPs called for these changes to be scrapped, the government said its proposed rules will now only apply to new claims from November 2026. Plans to cut the health-related element of universal credit have also been rowed back, with all existing recipients to have their incomes protected in real terms. The Government will amend the Bill at the Commons committee stage to put the changes in place ahead of the second reading on Tuesday. However, it is estimated around 50 to 60 Labour MPs are still planning to rebel against the bill, with some saying the concessions are not enough. A minister did not answer when asked whether any Labour MPs that rebel over welfare this week will have the whip removed. Baronesss Jacqui Smith was asked by Times Radio whether rebels would have the whip removed, she told the station: 'I think what's important and from – as you say – from my experience as a former chief whip, is to keep talking, keep explaining the moves that the Government has already made to recognise some of the concerns.' Pushed again on whether the whip would be removed, she later said that people would hear more from ministers on Monday. Athena Stavrou30 June 2025 09:35 Starmer's disability benefit U-turn not enough, says rebel Labour whip Sir Keir Starmer 's £3bn U-turn on his planned welfare cuts does not go far enough, a leading rebel who quit her frontbench job over the changes has warned. The prime minister is still facing the prospect of around 50 Labour MPs voting against his welfare reforms, with former government whip Vicky Foxcroft among those calling for fresh concessions. Ms Foxcroft dramatically quit this month in protest at the plans, saying she could not back cuts that will harm disabled people. And, in an interview with The Guardian after Sir Keir's U-turn, she said it was 'good to hear that people won't be losing their benefits who are currently on them' but said there were 'areas where I still think there's need for movement'. Athena Stavrou30 June 2025 09:33 Starmer battles to quell 50-strong MP rebellion with just hours left until vote Sir Keir Starmer is launching a last-minute attempt to win over dozens of Labour MPs rebelling against his welfare reforms. Around 50 Labour MPs are still thought to be planning to vote against the bill in a crunch vote on Tuesday, despite the prime minister offering concessions on the legislation last week. The original welfare bill proposed to introduce a higher bar for eligibility for the Personal Independence Payment (Pip), and cut the health-related element of universal credit. But after more than 100 Labour MPs called for these changes to be scrapped, the government said its proposed rules will now only apply to new claims from November 2026. Athena Stavrou30 June 2025 09:31
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Kendall steps up efforts to win over Labour welfare rebels, as Burnham tells MPs to vote against ‘unfair' bill
Update: Date: 2025-06-30T08:15:54.000Z Title: Clive Efford. Content: Good morning. Last week, on their Political Currency podcast, Ed Balls and George Osborne were talking about the Labour rebellion over the legislation to cut disability benefits – the universal credit (UC) and personal independence payment (Pip) bill – and Osborne asked for an example of an MP who would never normally rebel against the government because they were inherently mainstream and loyal, but who was opposed to this plan. Balls menioned Clive Efford, the veteran MP for Eltham and Chiselhurst. They were speaking on Thursday, before the government announced massive concessions to the bill worth £3bn a year. Those concessions have won over some Labour MPs who were going to vote against the bill tomorrow, and Keir Starmer, instead of facing certain defeat, now seems likely to win the vote – although with a much reduced majority. But many moderates are still opposed and this morning one of them was on the Today programme. It was He told the programme that he was still not in a position to support the bill because the government has not yet published the full assessment of how people will be affected, and whether (as ministers claim) the cuts won't lead to more poverty because people will get jobs instead. He said: There are still £3.5 billion-worth of savings that are required in these measures and we don't yet know the poverty impact that they will have. The original motion [the reasoned amendment to kill the bill, signed by Efford and more than 120 other Labour MPs] was asking for more time for us to understand the impact of these changes and that still applies to those people who will be adversely affected. I think there are a lot of people waiting to hear what the government is saying today who may be inclined to accept what the government has done. For me the situation hasn't changed for those people who will be adversely affected and until we know and understand the impact on them, we shouldn't be taking what I think is a leap in the dark. There are choices that the government can make here; there are other places it can go to identify the resources. What we want to see, and fully support, is measures the government is putting in the palace to assist people to move into work, the right to try, we support, but we can't guarantee the savings. When you're asking for £3.5bn regardless of the impact of those changes that can only adversely affect people who are in the benefit system. We cannot make assumptions about how much we can save in the welfare system ahead of actually bringing in those changes and seeing how they work. As Pippa Crerar and Rowena Mason report in their overnight story, Efford is far from alone; Vicky Foxcroft, who resigned as a government whip over the cuts, has not been won over by the concessions. Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, is expected to make a Commons statement today giving more details of the concessions. The Department for Work and Pensions issued some details overnight. At the weekend the continuity rebels won the backing of Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester. Burnham, who has become increasingly vocal in recent weeks in setting out an alternative, more muscular, soft left alternative to what Keir Starmer is offering, was at Glastonbury where he urged Labour MPs to vote down the bill. As Huffpost UK reports, he said: What's been announced is half a U-turn, a 50% U-turn. In my view I'd still hope MPs vote against the whole bill when it comes before parliament … [Labour MPs] face the prospect, if they accept this package, someone could come to their surgery in two years saying 'why did you vote to make me £6,000 worse off than someone exactly the same, but who was protected because they were an existing claimant'? I hope they think carefully before the vote, because the vote will create that unfairness and divide in disabled people. Here is the agenda for the day. 10.30am: The high court will deliver its judgment on a legal challenge to the government's policy on arms exports to Israel brought by human rights groups. 11.30am: Downing Street holds a lobby briefing. 2.30pm: John Healey, the defence secretary, takes questions in the Commons. After 3.30pm: Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, is expected to make a statement to MPs about the government concessions on the UC and Pip bill. If you want to contact me, please post a message below the line when comments are open (normally between 10am and 3pm at the moment), or message me on social media. I can't read all the messages BTL, but if you put 'Andrew' in a message aimed at me, I am more likely to see it because I search for posts containing that word. If you want to flag something up urgently, it is best to use social media. You can reach me on Bluesky at @ The Guardian has given up posting from its official accounts on X, but individual Guardian journalists are there, I still have my account, and if you message me there at @AndrewSparrow, I will see it and respond if necessary. I find it very helpful when readers point out mistakes, even minor typos. No error is too small to correct. And I find your questions very interesting too. I can't promise to reply to them all, but I will try to reply to as many as I can, either BTL or sometimes in the blog.
