Latest news with #Pips
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rachel Reeves Sends Message To Labour MPs Unhappy About Welfare Cuts
Rachel Reeves has hit back at Labour MPs calling for the government to rethink its cuts to welfare reform. More than 40 MPs from across the party have written to prime minister Keir Starmer urging him to reassess the planned cuts to disability benefits this week. The government intends to tighten the eligibility for personal independent payments (Pips) to save around £5bn per year in a move which is expected to affect around 700,000 people. The MPs warned that the proposals have 'caused a huge amount of anxiety and concern among disabled people and their families'. A Commons vote on the plan is expected in June. If all of the MPs who wrote to the prime minister rebelled against the government, it would be Labour's largest revolt since being elected in July. However, speaking to broadcasters on Friday, the chancellor doubled down on the government's plans, saying that it was crucial for the whole system to be reformed. Reeves said: 'I don't think anybody, including Labour MPs and members, think that the current welfare system created by the Conservative party is working today. 'They know that the system needs reform. We do need to reform how the welfare system works if we're going to grow our economy. 'But crucially, if we're going to lift people out of poverty and give more people the chance to fulfil their potential, the focus has got to be on supporting people into work. 'Of course, if you can't work the welfare state must always be there for you, and with this government it will be. But there are many people that are trapped on benefits that are desperate to work, that have been cut out of opportunity for too long. That will change under this government.' 'We will step up and help people fulfil their potential,' says Chancellor Rachel Reeves as she outlines welfare reform plans focused on getting more people into work adding 'It is the priority of this government." Sky 501, Freeview 233 and YouTube — Sky News (@SkyNews) May 9, 2025 The backlash follows a particularly poor performance from Labour in the local elections, where right-wing party Reform UK took more than 600 council seats and won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election. HuffPost UK also revealed today that the chancellor has held talks this week on the possibility of changing Labour's winter fuel payment policy following intense backlash. It comes amid growing anger among Labour MPs at the electoral damage being done by the plan. Rachel Reeves Exclusive: Chancellor Denies Welfare Reforms Will Push 250,000 Into Poverty Spring Statement 2025: More Than 3 Million To Be Hit By 'Catastrophic' Welfare Cuts Exclusive: Rachel Reeves Has Been Involved In Talks On Changing Labour's Winter Fuel Payment Policy
The National
08-05-2025
- Business
- The National
MPs tell Keir Starmer disability benefit cuts impossible to support
In a letter from the 42 parliamentarians, who represent both veteran and new Labour MPs spanning from the party's left and right, Starmer has been urged to change the direction of his leadership, the Guardian has reported. The Prime Minister has already faced widespread criticism from members of his own party over the proposed £5 billion in benefit cuts, which includes the significant tightening of eligibility for personal independent payments (Pips). The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves's planned disability benefit cuts would affect around 700,000 families who are already in poverty. READ MORE: Supporting Ukraine is about defending the values that unite Europe Brian Leishman is the only Scottish Labour MP among the signatories, which includes names like Diane Abbott and Kim Johnson. Starmer now faces the biggest rebellion of his premiership when the House of Commons votes on the proposed measures next month. In the letter, Labour MPs said the proposals, set out in a government green paper, have 'caused a huge amount of anxiety and concern among disabled people and their families'. (Image: PA) It goes on to say: 'The planned cuts of more than £7bn represent the biggest attack on the welfare state since George Osborne ushered in the years of austerity and over 3 million of our poorest and most disadvantaged will be affected.' It added: 'Whilst the government may have correctly diagnosed the problem of a broken benefits system and a lack of job opportunities for those who are able to work, they have come up with the wrong medicine. Cuts don't create jobs, they just cause more hardship.' The letter calls on ministers to delay any decisions until they see full assessments on the impact of any cuts, raising concerns that they are being asked to approve the plans without proper knowledge of the consequences. Adding that there needs to be 'a genuine dialogue with disabled people's organisations to redesign something that is less complex and offers greater support, alongside tackling the barriers that disabled people face when trying to find and maintain employment'. It adds: 'We also need to invest in creating job opportunities and ensure the law is robust enough to provide employment protections against discrimination. Without a change in direction, the green paper will be impossible to support.'
BBC News
03-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
'Not Labour enough': MPs' despair at voters' verdict on government
"We are losing to everyone, everywhere." That could be a quote from a Conservative, as the previous party of government struggles to rebuild trust with the electorate. But it isn't. It's a despairing message from a new Labour MP, elected in last year's general election landslide. Labour had a terrible night when many of the county council seats up for grabs in Thursday's English local elections were last contested in 2021. So far, today's results are even worse. Labour should have been within shouting distance of regaining control of Durham -but their vote tumbled. Before the result was announced, a former Labour MP texted to say - in colourful language – just how grim the political landscape was in the North East. And where voters were determined to oust the Conservatives in Staffordshire, they turned to Reform UK not Labour to do so. This has prompted calls for Sir Keir Starmer to change direction. The Labour Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones - who had her majority slashed - blamed the withdrawal of winter fuel allowance from most pensioners, and urged a rethink on the forthcoming cuts to personal independence payments (Pips) fordisabled people. Labour MP Richard Burgon – a shadow minister under Sir Keir's left wing predecessor Jeremy Corbyn – agreed. He said the current party leadership needed to "change course" and suggested that these policies were "driving away our own voters, and letting Reform squeeze through." The Labour leadership won't be quaking in its boots when attacked by the Left. But what is noteworthy is that - off the record - some MPs from across the party are making not dissimilar points, and have been contacting the BBC (and not vice versa) to make them.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Not Labour enough': MPs' despair at voters' verdict on government
"We are losing to everyone, everywhere." That could be a quote from a Conservative, as the previous party of government struggles to rebuild trust with the electorate. But it isn't. It's a despairing message from a new Labour MP, elected in last year's general election landslide. Labour had a terrible night when many of the county council seats up for grabs in Thursday's English local elections were last contested in 2021. So far, today's results are even worse. Labour should have been within shouting distance of regaining control of Durham -but their vote tumbled. Before the result was announced, a former Labour MP texted to say - in colourful language – just how grim the political landscape was in the North East. And where voters were determined to oust the Conservatives in Staffordshire, they turned to Reform UK not Labour to do so. This has prompted calls for Sir Keir Starmer to change direction. The Labour Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones - who had her majority slashed - blamed the withdrawal of winter fuel allowance from most pensioners, and urged a rethink on the forthcoming cuts to personal independence payments (Pips) fordisabled people. Labour MP Richard Burgon – a shadow minister under Sir Keir's left wing predecessor Jeremy Corbyn – agreed. He said the current party leadership needed to "change course" and suggested that these policies were "driving away our own voters, and letting Reform squeeze through." The Labour leadership won't be quaking in its boots when attacked by the Left. But what is noteworthy is that - off the record - some MPs from across the party are making not dissimilar points, and have been contacting the BBC (and not vice versa) to make them. One of the new intake of Labour MPs told me "this is not a verdict on our failure to deliver. "It is a verdict on what we have delivered. People on the doorsteps are using the word 'betrayal.' "It's winter fuel. It's fear of Pips, it's a bit of immigration." "People voted for change – voted for Labour – but the government isn't looking Labour enough, and people are asking "what's the point?'". And a longer-standing Labour politician said to me it was "more to do with uninspiring leadership". "And it turns out that cutting disability and winter fuel payments comes at a cost – these are not Labour things to do," they added. Another said that fellow backbenchers tend to panic close to general election time if their party is behind in the polls but "we are panicking in less than a year". A defeated Labour councillor from Lancashire, Matthew Tomlinson, described himself as "an extremely loyal Labour Party supporter". But he told the BBC when certain policies were taken together – and he included national insurance increases for employers and the lack of compensation for some women pensioners to the welfare cuts - "it feels like a Labour Party that just isn't Labour enough." I have also had reports of difficulties in motivating activists and a dearth of Labour door-knockers in some areas. So what changes do some of Keir Starmer's MPs wish to see? Live: Follow latest on local elections Who won the local election in my area? Sir John Curtice: Reform challenging traditional party dominance What's happened so far and what's still to come? Well, one former frontbencher predicted a "bloody battle" over the disability benefit cuts when MPs vote in a month or so. It doesn't look like the government will back down on that issue. But I have been told some potential rebels are being assured that they won't lose the party whip if they abstain – or make themselves scarce – when the vote comes. Some are calling for a bigger rethink, with more focus on social issues and less on adjusting policies to meet economic forecasts. And there are calls for Chancellor Rachel Reeves' "fiscal rules"- which restrict debt levels but also constrain investment – to be loosened. The Treasury has already rejected this – arguing that it would lead to higher interest rates and therefore mortgages. The 40 MPs in Labour's Red Wall group want to see a tougher line on immigration but also more investment in "left behind" areas in the Midlands and North of England. That has prompted demands for the shredding of the "Green Book" – the Treasury bible used to assess the costs and benefits of new projects. The belief is that this document tends emphasise the cost and downplay the benefits. One MP from a Red Wall area has suggested that if the chancellor won't contemplate a "reset" then she should be reshuffled, "otherwise she'll bring Starmer down with her". The prime minister said today that he "gets" the message of the election results – to go forward faster with his plan for change. I haven't got any sense that this involves a further change of direction. The party has already cut overseas aid to fund an increase in defence spending. This might have been expected to appeal to Reform-minded voters, but the election results don't tend to suggest that it has worked. An array of announcements and initiatives are on the way – an immigration white paper in a matter of weeks; a long-awaited industrial strategy; the outcome a defence review; more on workers' rights; one or more trade deals. Labour will seek to get on the front foot. But much is either outside the government's control or is difficult to control, such as a stubbornly stagnant economy and an international trade war. Ministers point to progress on a number of fronts, from rising wages to falling NHS waiting lists. Yet the election results were an expression of voters' "first impressions" of Labour back in power. Some of its MPs worry that it will be difficult to change the negative prism through which the government is viewed.
BBC News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Labour MPs in despair at voters' verdict on government
"We are losing to everyone, everywhere."That could be a quote from a Conservative, as the previous party of government struggles to rebuild trust with the it isn' a despairing message from a new Labour MP, elected in last year's general election had a terrible night when many of the county council seats up for grabs in Thursday's English local elections were last contested in far, today's results are even should have been within shouting distance of regaining control of Durham -but their vote the result was announced, a former Labour MP texted to say - in colourful language – just how grim the political landscape was in the North where voters were determined to oust the Conservatives in Staffordshire, they turned to Reform UK not Labour to do has prompted calls for Sir Keir Starmer to change direction. The Labour Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones - who had her majority slashed - blamed the withdrawal of winter fuel allowance from most pensioners, and urged a rethink on the forthcoming cuts to personal independence payments (Pips) fordisabled MP Richard Burgon – a shadow minister under Sir Keir's left wing predecessor Jeremy Corbyn – said the current party leadership needed to "change course" and suggested that these policies were "driving away our own voters, and letting Reform squeeze through."The Labour leadership won't be quaking in its boots when attacked by the what is noteworthy is that - off the record - some MPs from across the party are making not dissimilar points, and have been contacting the BBC (and not vice versa) to make them. One of the new intake of Labour MPs told me "this is not a verdict on our failure to deliver."It is a verdict on what we have delivered. People on the doorsteps are using the word 'betrayal.'"It's winter fuel. It's fear of Pips, it's a bit of immigration.""People voted for change – voted for Labour – but the government isn't looking Labour enough, and people are asking "what's the point?'".And a longer-standing Labour politician said to me it was "more to do with uninspiring leadership". "And it turns out that cutting disability and winter fuel payments comes at a cost – these are not Labour things to do," they said that fellow backbenchers tend to panic close to general election time if their party is behind in the polls but "we are panicking in less than a year".A defeated Labour councillor from Lancashire, Matthew Tomlinson, described himself as "an extremely loyal Labour Party supporter".But he told the BBC when certain policies were taken together – and he included national insurance increases for employers and the lack of compensation for some women pensioners to the welfare cuts - "it feels like a Labour Party that just isn't Labour enough."I have also had reports of difficulties in motivating activists and a dearth of Labour door-knockers in some what changes do some of Keir Starmer's MPs wish to see? Live: Follow latest on local elections Who won the local election in my area?Sir John Curtice: Reform challenging traditional party dominanceWhat's happened so far and what's still to come? Well, one former frontbencher predicted a "bloody battle" over the disability benefit cuts when MPs vote in a month or doesn't look like the government will back down on that I have been told some potential rebels are being assured that they won't lose the party whip if they abstain – or make themselves scarce – when the vote are calling for a bigger rethink, with more focus on social issues and less on adjusting policies to meet economic there are calls for Chancellor Rachel Reeves' "fiscal rules"- which restrict debt levels but also constrain investment – to be Treasury has already rejected this – arguing that it would lead to higher interest rates and therefore 40 MPs in Labour's Red Wall group want to see a tougher line on immigration but also more investment in "left behind" areas in the Midlands and North of has prompted demands for the shredding of the "Green Book" – the Treasury bible used to assess the costs and benefits of new belief is that this document tends emphasise the cost and downplay the MP from a Red Wall area has suggested that if the chancellor won't contemplate a "reset" then she should be reshuffled, "otherwise she'll bring Starmer down with her".The prime minister said today that he "gets" the message of the election results – to go forward faster with his plan for change.I haven't got any sense that this involves a further change of party has already cut overseas aid to fund an increase in defence might have been expected to appeal to Reform-minded voters, but the election results don't tend to suggest that it has array of announcements and initiatives are on the way – an immigration white paper in a matter of weeks; a long-awaited industrial strategy; the outcome a defence review; more on workers' rights; one or more trade will seek to get on the front much is either outside the government's control or is difficult to control, such as a stubbornly stagnant economy and an international trade point to progress on a number of fronts, from rising wages to falling NHS waiting the election results were an expression of voters' "first impressions" of Labour back in of its MPs worry that it will be difficult to change the negative prism through which the government is viewed.
