Burnham sets out his socialist stall and business barely gets a mention Politics We were told to expect a speech that would leave no room for doubt about what Andy Burnham believes in, and we got one. There might not be much detail yet about how the Burnham Revolution will unfold but there is no ambiguity, either. The Prime Minister painted a vision of what this country could [...]
Tory welfare crackdown would ban benefit spending on alcohol and cigarettes Politics Scores of benefit claimants would receive their welfare payments on a ‘Back To Work’ card that bans spending on alcohol, cigarettes or betting under plans announced by the Conservatives. Under a new crackdown on the welfare system, unemployed people on benefits will see their payments fall by 30 per cent. Those who are on Universal [...]
Pat McFadden: I have not apologised to Rachel Reeves over ‘tax to pay benefits’ text Politics Welfare secretary Pat McFadden has doubled down on his remarks unearthed in the Mandelson files that “every meeting [he has] is ‘who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others’”. The Cabinet minister was among numerous top officials to have his private messages released in documents relating to Lord Mandelson’s stint as the [...]
Labour has become the party of welfare, not work May 26, 2026 A generous interpretation of events would be to concede that Labour has avoided any attempt at welfare reform because it’s been waiting for the conclusions of Alan Milburn’s review into the crisis of youth unemployment. Milburn, who served as health secretary under Tony Blair, will publish the first part of his government-commissioned report this week, [...]
Kemi Badenoch interview: ‘I want an economic revolution’ May 5, 2026 Kemi Badenoch has told City AM she wants to deliver “an economic revolution” in the UK, based on lower taxes, less government intervention and “a mindset shift” that puts businesses and the City at the heart of the growth agenda. Speaking ahead of this week’s local elections, the Tory leader says she is developing policies [...]
Autumn Budget: Reeves splurges £12bn on welfare as two-child benefit cap ditched November 26, 2025 The UK’s fiscal watchdog has forecast welfare spending to soar over the next few years after the Labour government ditched plans to reform the welfare state. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), which accidentally published its report before the Budget, has said welfare spending will rise by £12bn in the fiscal year 2029-30, when compared [...]
Economy faces ‘midlife crisis’ as benefit claimants hit new high August 10, 2025 The economy faces a “midlife crisis” after a fresh study revealed the number of jobless benefit claimants aged 50 or older has reached nearly two million for the first time. A new report from the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has shown the number of 50 to 64-year-olds who are out of work and claiming [...]
Ministers ‘pushed ahead too fast’ on welfare reform, says Phillipson July 6, 2025 Ministers “pushed ahead too fast” and “didn’t listen enough” on welfare reform, the education secretary has said. Bridget Phillipson also said that future spending decisions had been made “harder”, when asked about the prospect of the two-child benefit cap being scrapped. Phillipson told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme that she was “not going [...]
Reeves warns ministers tax rises are coming after loss of ‘low hanging fruit’ July 5, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has warned ministers that taxes will have to rise after the government U-turned on its welfare bill, despite repeated pledges not to increase the taxes of working people. Reeves told ministers on Tuesday that raising the tens of billions pounds she needs would be a “big challenge” given her lack of options, [...]
We will all pay the price for Starmer’s weakness on welfare July 2, 2025 Keir Starmer is a weak Prime Minister and parliament has proved it can’t condone any reduction in public spending. This will end very badly, says Simon Clarke The collapse of Labour’s plans for welfare reform marks the end of its first year in government – and perhaps the end of any kind of serious reforming [...]