UK's Starmer waters down welfare cuts to quell Labour revolt

 UK's Starmer waters down welfare cuts to quell Labour revolt

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has scaled back controversial welfare reforms in a bid to avoid a revolt within his own Labour Party. Originally intended to save £5 billion a year, the proposed changes would have made it significantly harder for people to qualify for certain disability and sickness benefits. However, fierce resistance from more than 100 Labour MPs forced Starmer to backtrack. The reforms will now only apply to new claimants, exempting millions of current recipients from the tougher rules.

This move follows a string of reversals for Starmer’s government, which has now made three major U-turns in under a yeardespite securing a landslide majority in the national election. Previous reversals included restoring winter fuel payments for pensioners and launching an inquiry into the grooming gang scandal after initially refusing one.

In a letter to lawmakers, Work and Pensions Minister Liz Kendall confirmed that the core principle of reform remains intact, with an emphasis on targeting funds toward those most in need and ensuring long-term sustainability of the welfare system. Meg Hillier, a Labour MP who played a key role in negotiating the change, called the shift a “good and workable compromise.”

The Prime Minister’s office acknowledged concerns about the speed of implementation and stated the government had “listened to MPs” who supported reform but were cautious about the immediate impact on vulnerable communities. While this move may ease internal party tensions for now, it also raises questions about Starmer’s leadership authority and his capacity to maintain control over policy direction amidst growing pressure from both the public and his own party members.

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While the political pressure has eased with the policy change, the financial implications are still unclear. The government has not officially disclosed the new cost of its revised welfare reform strategy, but estimates from Ruth Curtice, head of the Resolution Foundation think tank, suggest the government will now save £2 billion instead of the originally planned £5 billion annually.

Despite the compromise, public concern remains. Disability advocacy groups argue the changes still introduce a harmful “two-tier” system that provides unequal support to new and existing benefit recipients. Mikey Erhardt, a spokesperson for Disability UK, criticized the plan, stating that future generations of disabled individuals would receive significantly less support than those currently on the system. He labeled the adjustment as insufficient and warned that it could lead to further inequality and hardship.

Care Minister Stephen Kinnock said that funding details would be revealed in the autumn budget and assured that the plan would be “fully funded” without any permanent increase in borrowing. However, when asked about potential tax hikes to cover costs, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister declined to comment.

The government is expected to provide a more detailed plan ahead of a key parliamentary vote scheduled for Tuesday. While the concession might avert an immediate political defeat, the long-term consequences of the policyand the government’s credibilityare still in question.

Critics have pointed to Starmer’s recent pattern of U-turns as a sign of weak leadership, while supporters argue that responding to public and parliamentary pressure is a mark of responsible governance. Either way, this latest development underscores the complexity of balancing fiscal responsibility with social equity in a time of growing economic strain across the UK.