Labour is briefing that it is set to drop a proposed freeze on rising Personal Independence Payments amid a large backlash from numerous quarters. Liz Kendall is set to make a statement in the Commons tomorrow on welfare changes that are still meant to include tightened criteria for PIP eligibility as well as restrictions on payments to disabled or sick people on Universal Credit. Backbench Labour MPs are complaining about the “Tory-ish approach” though numbers in any potential rebellion are as yet unclear…
Watering down of plans indicates Downing Street’s nerves after their meetings with all backbenchers last week. Meanwhile Andy Burnham’s overnight piece in The Times against trailed plans for Starmer’s welfare reforms has caused a stir in SW1. The King in the North’s intervention was bound to come sooner or later…
The Greater Manchester mayor has hit out at Starmer’s plans by saying “there is no case in any scenario for cutting the support available to disabled people who are unable to work.” Punchy Burnham instead proposes his own brand of reforms including replacing jobcentres with the holistic ‘Live Well’ centres he is promoting in his patch. A testy Emma Reynolds said she is “glad to see that Andy Burnham agrees with the prime minister that we need reform, that’s what he said in his article in the Times.” Uh huh…
Diane Abbott is leading for the rebels this morning to call for a wealth tax to raise revenue of 2% on assets of £10 million to raise £24 billion per year. Asked if that would hurt incentives she said “that shouldn’t have some massive effect.” The fantasists speak…
Kemi Badenoch at the 1922-ConHome bash last night:
“I did praise [Burnham] for his stamina, it was amazing. All I had to do was sit back and lie there. I didn’t have to do anything at all…”