Conservative Leader Criticizes Labour's Welfare Reform Stance
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has accused Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer of abandoning efforts to reform the welfare system. The accusation follows a reversal by Sir Keir on proposed benefit reforms after opposition from Labour backbench MPs in June last year, which led to the shelving of changes to personal independence payments (PIP).
Questions Raised at Prime Minister's Questions
During Prime Minister's Questions, Badenoch questioned the absence of a welfare bill in the King's Speech for the current parliamentary session. She asserted that welfare costs have increased by £20 billion since Labour's general election victory.
Official data indicates an increase of just under £20 billion over the past two years, with approximately half of this rise attributed to a £10 billion increase in state pension expenditure.
The King's Speech outlines the government's legislative agenda for the upcoming parliamentary session, typically lasting about a year.
Referring to the ongoing shadow leadership contest surrounding Sir Keir following significant election losses earlier this month, Badenoch remarked:
"The reason why there is no welfare bill is because the prime minister has given up, and he's given up because they have given up on him."
References to Mandelson Files and Private Messages
Badenoch cited private messages from Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden, revealed in the latest release of the Mandelson files. These messages, exchanged between ministers and the former UK ambassador to the US, Lord Mandelson, disclosed candid views on welfare policy.
Badenoch stated:
"The welfare secretary [McFadden] said in private what they won't dare say in public.
He said 'every meeting I have with Labour MPs is about who we can tax so we can pay more benefits'."
Labour's Response on Welfare Reform
Sir Keir Starmer responded by stating that Labour inherited a welfare system in disrepair from the previous Conservative government and emphasized the party's focus on increasing youth employment.
He elaborated:
"Welfare reform is balancing universal credit so it no longer pushes people away from work. That's what we're doing, they voted against it.
Welfare reform is introducing a right to try to incentivise people to take up opportunities. That's what we're doing, they voted against it.
Welfare reform is providing record funding on apprenticeships, that's what we're doing. Apprenticeship starts fell by 40% on their watch."
Government Initiatives and Labour's Youth Guarantee
Last week, the government published the Milburn review addressing the record number of young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET), which official figures show has reached one million, the highest in 12 years.
In response, Labour introduced a youth guarantee scheme offering companies a £3,000 grant for each 18 to 24-year-old employed who has been job-seeking for six months or more, alongside providing 300,000 work experience placements.
Sir Keir also highlighted achievements under his government, including delivering the fastest growing economy in the G7 despite the Middle East conflict, reducing immigration by 82%, cutting the asylum backlog by 46%, and lifting half a million children out of poverty.
Further Exchanges at Prime Minister's Questions
Badenoch remarked:
"I'm glad to see the PM still has a sense of humour given we all know he's losing his job soon.
He has no authority and we know why - his MPs will not let him do anything."
Sir Keir retorted:
"She talks about the welfare bill, it soared by £88bn on their watch.
Nearly three million people were written off, face-to-face assessment collapsed because of the contracts they agreed, and the person who signed off those contracts was the shadow chancellor."
As the Prime Minister concluded his remarks to applause from Labour benches, Badenoch asserted that he lacked the authority to implement welfare reforms.
Disappearing Messages Controversy
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister's spokesman acknowledged that the latest batch of Mandelson files did not include some WhatsApp messages from Sir Keir, as he had used the disappearing messages function.
Badenoch commented:
"Disappearing messages from a disappearing PM."
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