Mere weeks after running an election campaign on “hated” benefit cuts, Labour are falling over themselves trying to out-tough each other on welfare. Andy Burnham continues his re-branding as a centrist by saying people on benefits should not have “an easy ride”:

“… some people say that Labour want to be soft on people who want something for nothing. We’ve got to be honest about that.”

Echoing tough-talking Liz Kendall:

“.. voters in my constituency do not feel people who are not working should get more than those in work ..”

Meanwhile deputy leadership contender Caroline Flint says welfare recipients need a “kick up the backside”. 

Liz Kendall wants to hike defence spending while pursuing austerity. So what's she going to cut to build her battleships?

— Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) May 29, 2015

Labour's Andy Burnham suggests he might back further welfare cuts. Depressing http://t.co/4gWqpDSBth

— Diane Abbott MP (@HackneyAbbott) May 29, 2015

Ugh. Thanks Caroline Flint (!)
RT @SunPolitics 'We must attack benefit scroungers' says top Labour MP http://t.co/1LOJyCEFIz #SunNation

— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) May 29, 2015

They’re upsetting all the right people…