Latest news with #AlisonMcGovern
The Sun
3 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
PM must stand firm and keep the two-child benefit cap – Welfare is already out of control
PM must resist the two-child benefit pressure 'UNSUSTAINABLE, indefensible and unfair.' Sir Keir Starmer was spot-on when he made his blunt assessment of Britain's grotesquely spiralling welfare bill back in March. 1 As it rockets towards £70billion a year by the end of this decade, we simply cannot afford to allow this crazed spending spree to go on. Yet many of his own MPs are deaf to common sense on this issue. Like leftie Employment Minister Alison McGovern, who believes those out of work should be able to turn down a job if they don't fancy it. As with other Labour rebels, she sees state handouts as the only answer to every problem. No doubt she will be among the MPs piling pressure on the PM to axe the two-child benefit cap this week after new figures showed a rapid increase in child poverty. The figures are shocking, but Sir Keir must stand firm and keep the cap. It stops parents claiming benefits for more than two children and lifting it would pile another £3.5billion on our already unmanageable welfare bill. What's more, it would award more handouts to 180,000 families in which nobody has a job. As Labour grandee Lord Blunkett points out, there is a limit to how far the state can go in child support. And in any case why should those who continue to work hard and pay taxes have to fork out even more for the children of those who don't? Vest-up jail guards ANOTHER day, another brutal prison attack. The shocking stabbing of a guard by a convict armed with a flick-knife at HMP Long Lartin is just the latest in a spate of violent incidents in Britain's out-of-control jails. How much longer can we sit on our hands while they are put at risk because they cannot protect themselves? The Tories' Shadow Home Secretary Robert Jenrick has called for guns to be available on-site in prisons. Such weapons might be justifiable in extreme cases such as riots. But guards come into daily contact with convicted murderers and terrorists. They must have the minimum they need to keep order safely. Those working in the most dangerous jails should immediately be issued with stab vests and tasers.
The Sun
5 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Fury as Labour minister suggests Brits on the dole can turn down job offers they do not like
WELFARE Minister Alison McGovern was slammed last night after saying people on benefits will not be forced to take 'any job' offered to them. Under the last Tory government, people on the dole had to look for work and take up a role if a jobcentre found them one. 2 But MsMcGovern hit out at the policy and suggested that under Labour those on the dole would be able to pick and choose what job they take before having their benefits taken off them. She told The Guardian: 'The Tories used to talk about ABC: 'Any job, Better job, Career'. 'I think that if you think about the career [first] … If we can get people into an NHS job where they're more likely to move on and move up, then that is far better for them.' Tory shadow welfare chief Helen Whately hit back: 'The mask has slipped - and it's the same old Labour. 'Those who can work, should work. To do otherwise is unfair to them, unfair to the taxpayer and unfair to society which pays the spiralling cost of worklessness. 'It's one of the biggest problems facing the country. But with the employment minister telling people not to worry about getting a job, we know the Government hasn't got a grip.' 2 Last night, the government slapped down Ms McGovern - saying there was no change in policy and that jobless Brits on benefits must take work if offered it. A Government source said: 'There's no change in policy. The rules remain the same: jobseekers have to be actively seeking work and they have to take up reasonable job offers. 'The Tories ran down job centres and locked millions of people out of work. "This Labour government is changing the way job centres work to help more people into secure, well-paid jobs.'
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
DWP to drop key policy under major benefits changes
Employment Minister Alison McGovern said the government was scrapping a key rule Under radical changes to the welfare system, job seekers will no longer be compelled to take any available job, Employment Minister Alison McGovern has said. MP McGovern announced that the government is discarding a pivotal rule that coerced people into taking unstable, poorly-paid jobs without considering their personal situation. She has promised long-term, bespoke career assistance—despite her department facing intense scrutiny over reductions to disability benefits. In a transformation of Jobcentre practices, Ms McGovern expressed: "One of the things that broke me was reading people say that they thought 'no one would want them'. I cannot live with the idea that there are people in this country who think that no one wants them." Job seekers will now receive encouragement to pursue "fulfilling" and secure professions, augmented by new technology like artificial intelligence to enable staff to provide more individualised and empathetic support, especially for those grappling with complex health issues or prolonged spells of unemployment. This news surfaces as Labour faces internal dissent due to slashes to personal independence payments (PIP) and incapacity benefits, with up to 170 Labour MPs set to defy or abstain from voting on the measures – an act that could embarrass Sir Keir Starmer's administration with a stinging defeat. Speaking to the Guardian, Ms McGovern acknowledged the concern: "I don't blame anybody for being scared or worried about it because given what's happened with changes to disability benefits before, I understand that.", reports MyLondon. Despite assurances to the public, the government has pressed on with benefit reforms that are set to leave many worse off. The Resolution Foundation, a think tank, has issued warnings that these changes could plunge more Brits into poverty, contradicting Labour's stance that the reforms will facilitate more people finding employment. Ms McGovern stood by the policy, arguing that those impacted would benefit from significantly enhanced support, which includes assistance from GPs and physiotherapists, as well as overhauled Jobcentre services. In ongoing pilot schemes, the typical five-minute meetings with work coaches are being extended to more comprehensive sessions designed to "see the whole person". The system encourages claimants to divulge their personal experiences so that bespoke assistance can be offered – this could mean pairing them with suitable employers or aiding them in maintaining employment once they have secured a position. "Nobody is ever going to make a film of I, Daniel Blake, but the reverse," Ms McGovern said, alluding to Ken Loach's poignant film about a man let down by the welfare system. "But what I would like is a person comes into the Jobcentre who has perhaps not worked for some years and ... they are given the time so that they can tell their whole story." The opposition has voiced scathing criticism of the Conservative government, accusing them of abandoning a gaping void in the employment support system. The Tories' method, Labour claims, is a centralised and overly bureaucratic approach that has failed to put a dent in joblessness. The government, however, has pledged to ramp up funding for employment support targeting those with enduring health issues. They've earmarked a cool £1 billion per year by the end of the decade, though the immediate allocation for the upcoming year is significantly more modest at £300 million. Labour, meanwhile, is outlining its own reforms. They propose leveraging cutting-edge tools like the " DWP Ask" AI to automate the more mundane administrative chores. By doing so, they aim to free up staff members to offer more personal, face-to-face guidance. To streamline the process, Labour suggests pre-filling forms before job coaching sessions. This, they believe, will make these meetings more effective and beneficial for all parties involved. Another area of concern is the engagement—or lack thereof—between employers and Jobcentres. At present, a paltry one in six employers interacts with these vital employment hubs. The minister is resolute in her determination to change this status quo. "The Tories used to talk about ABC: 'Any job, Better job, Career'," she reflected, before offering her own take. "I think that if you think about the career [first] ... If we can get people into an NHS job where they're more likely to move on and move up, then that is far better for them." The plight of young people, many still reeling from the psychological aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, is particularly troubling to Ms McGovern. In some instances, work coaches have had to chaperone young claimants to job fairs or similar public venues. This hands-on approach is crucial, she believes, in helping these young people overcome severe social anxiety. "Now, that tells me that there's an issue," she indicated. "We have to pay our debt to the Covid generation ... I worry particularly about young people, and I think there has not been enough discussion or understanding of what Covid took from young people." Despite divisions within her party, Ms McGovern underlined the essential nature of the reforms. She continued: "I don't blame colleagues for listening to their constituents who are fearful. But people will only stop being afraid if they can see that the system has truly changed. "The social security system can never overcome the sort of deep inadequacies that there are in our economy. What we need is to change our economy, make sure that people have got chances and choices and opportunity ... So I think these changes are necessary. I know that the job is much bigger than that."
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Jobcentres will no longer force people into ‘any job' available, minister says
Jobcentres will no longer force people into 'any job' available, the employment minister has said, promising there will be long-term, personalised career support for those losing out due to welfare cuts. Alison McGovern said she was ending the Conservative policy under which jobseekers were obliged to take any low-paid, insecure work and that the service would now be focused on helping people to build rewarding careers. McGovern, who is tasked with a major overhaul to employment support as a result of significant cuts to disability benefits, said the department would use AI to free up the workloads of job coaches, giving them more time to provide 'human' support to those with complex needs and long-term unemployment. The government is facing open revolt among Labour MPs over the proposed cuts – which some in No 10 fear could mean losing the vote in parliament. McGovern said she wanted to acknowledge there were many disabled people who would feel 'frightened' by the cuts to personal independence payments and incapacity benefits, with many losing support entirely. 'I don't blame anybody for being scared or worried about it because given what's happened with changes to disability benefits before, I understand that,' she said. But she added she was deeply concerned about the numbers of young people out of work – with many needing specialist help to even engage with job support because of extreme social anxiety. McGovern said that people whose benefits were cut under Labour would receive radically different support. Work support will be offered by GPs and physiotherapists, in addition to the extended support in jobcentres. 'One of the things that broke me was reading people say that they thought 'no one would want them,'' she said. 'I cannot live with the idea that there's people in this country who think that no one wants them.' The government will eventually spend £1bn a year in additional support for those with long-term health problems to access work, though the funding will be less for the first few years, starting at about £300m next year as the changes begin to come into effect. But the Resolution Foundation thinktank has previously suggested that the support available would bring at most 105,000 people into work by 2030, and would push many more into poverty. McGovern said she hoped changes to the current system and the way the department relates to employers would make a significant difference to the numbers. She said the Conservatives had left a 'black hole' in the service, where a top-down bureaucratic system was having no measurable impact on getting people into work. Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) staff in jobcentres will be asked to rely more on AI software called DWP Ask and to fill in forms in advance of work coach meetings so that time can be spent on longer support for clients. Trials have already been run in which work coaches are given more time with clients than the usual five minutes. 'Nobody is ever going to make a film of I, Daniel Blake, but the reverse,' McGovern said. 'But what I would like is a person comes into the jobcentre who has perhaps not worked for some years and … they are given the time so that they can tell their whole story. Jobcentres will then be able to pick up the phone to tailored specific support for that person's barriers, then support once they are in work as well. We've got to see the whole person.' McGovern said she would like to radically improve the number of employers engaging directly with the DWP – currently just one in six. She said that would help jobcentres match people with the right skills and prepare them better for interviews or placements. 'The Tories used to talk about ABC: 'Any job, Better job, Career'. I think that if you think about the career [first] … If we can get people into an NHS job where they're more likely to move on and move up, then that is far better for them.' McGovern said she was particularly troubled by the plight of younger people, many of whom had been scarred by Covid. She said in some areas work coaches were having to accompany young people even to public places such as job fairs to help them overcome their anxieties. 'Now, that tells me that there's an issue,' she said. 'We have to pay our debt to the Covid generation … I worry particularly about young people, and I think there has not been enough discussion or understanding of what Covid took from young people.' Ministers are anticipating a significant rebellion and potential defeat when the welfare changes come before parliament, with up to 170 MPs suggesting publicly or privately that they could vote against or abstain on the changes. 'I don't blame colleagues for listening to their constituents who are fearful,' McGovern said. She said that people would have those fears alleviated only if they could see the system had truly changed. 'I also look at the reality of our economy,' she said. 'And I know that the social security system is designed as a kind of bulwark against poverty and to help us smooth life events over time. That only works well when you've got an economy that supports people's living standards. '[The] social security system can never overcome the sort of deep inadequacies that there are in our economy. What we need is to change our economy, make sure that people have got chances and choices and opportunity ... So I think these changes are necessary. I know that the job is much bigger than that.'
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Heartbroken Labour MP at Liverpool parade recalls moment 'joy' turned 'terrible'
In an emotional radio interview, Alison McGovern, the Labour MP for Birkenhead, recalled realising 'something so terrible had happened' after a wonderful day at the parade A DWP minister who was at Liverpool's Premier League victory parade said she is "devastated" that the "most wonderful and perfect day" ended with a car ploughing into a crowd. In an emotional radio interview, Alison McGovern, the Labour MP for Birkenhead, said she spent four hours with her family at the parade, where she was having a wonderful day of "joy and celebration". She said she travelled to the city centre to get some food before she started to receive messages and "realised something so terrible had happened". The heartbroken MP said: "So many families were there actually, so many children enjoying just getting a glimpse of their heroes on that bus, and for this to happen, it's just, it's really heartbreaking." Four children were among about 50 people injured during the victory parade on Sunday. Up to one million Liverpool fans had lined the streets to celebrate the team as they moved through the city centre with the Premier League trophy on an open-top bus. Merseyside Police are not treating the incident as terrorism after a 53-year-old man was arrested. Speaking to BBC Radio 4, Ms McGovern said: "We had the most wonderful and perfect day... I just feel so devastated that this wonderful day of joy and celebration had this at its end. And my heart goes to all of those affected, and all of those families. I was walking away from the parade. "I'd been with my family all day for four hours in the rain. It was just such a wonderful occasion. And everybody was, despite the rain, happy and just so thrilled to see their heroes with the Premier League trophy. We moved we moved away from the main area, as I've described, by the pier head, we walked up through the city centre and towards where we were going to go and have some food. "And it was only when, I started to get messages, that I realised something so terrible had happened, and it's really, really awful. I can only say thank you so much to the police and to all of the NHS staff who are caring for those people who are affected." The senior MP said Liverpool Football Club "is a very special club" and Liverpool is "a very special city". She added: "I know in the coming days that we will think about how we care and love those people who've been hurt, because this is what we do. We come together and support each other." Ms McGovern said she was not going to speculate on the police investigation. She added: "The police gave out some very clear messages yesterday, not least that if people have got footage or anything that might be useful to them, please, please give it to Merseyside police. And don't, you know, speculate on the internet or or share things like that." In a statement released last night, Keir Starmer said: "The scenes in Liverpool are appalling - my thoughts are with all those injured or affected." The Prime Minister later added: "Tonight, I have spoken to (Liverpool Mayor) Steve Rotheram about the terrible events in Liverpool and the remarkable bravery shown by the police and other emergency services. They are supporting and caring for those injured in these terrible events. "Everyone, especially children, should be able to celebrate their heroes without this horror. The city has a long and proud history of coming together through difficult times. Liverpool stands together and the whole country stands with Liverpool."
