Jeremy Corbyn said Sir Keir Starmer’s benefits are a ‘disgrace’ and demand that the government ‘think again’.
Talk to Sky News’ Politics with Sophy Ridgethe former labor leader accused the prime minister of imposing austerity on the country and warning that many of his former colleagues are “very upset”.
Politics Live: Chancellor sent a clear message in a new poll – as a Saddo ‘as Farage Brands protester’ a saddo ‘
It comes before the Chancellor Rachel Reeves Spring -Statement WednesdayWhen she is expected to announce further cuts Last week, the welfare budget cut by £ 5bn.
Mr Corbyn said he wanted to see Ms Reeves ‘thinking again’ about the cut to personal independence payments (PIP), and warned that it would push more people into poverty and force others to give up work so that they could look after them – “usually women and families”.
The now independent MP has asked for a wealth tax on the richest of society to raise money – something three -quarters of the British public would support, According to a new YouGov poll.
He called the Labor Party in government a ‘enormous disappointment’ and added: ‘I never thought I would hear the day when a chancellor would get up and say that they were picking up five billion pounds from the revenue of the poorest disabled in our society. It’s a shame. ‘
The government has argued that welfare reforms are needed because of the unsustainable cost of long -term disease and disability benefits, with other measures announced to get more people back into work.
Jeremy Corbyn. Photo: Dad
However, Ms Reeves faced criticism because she was looking for over £ 10 billion to lost fiscal main space To balance the books, to global instability and poor economic growth since her October budget.
She is expected to announce the biggest cut of departmental expenses to Whitehall in the Spring statement, arguing that it is necessary for efficiency.
The government has repeatedly denied that it is returning to austerity. Other recent “efficiency savings” it announced includes the abolition of NHS England and 10,000 posts in the public service.
‘Back to austerity’
But Mr. Corbyn said although “the word austerity will not pass lips from any ministers tomorrow”, this is the reality of the situation.
He said: “If you say you will take numbers – I heard 7%, I heard other numbers – what does it mean from the department’s budget?
“You can’t do everything through efficiency. This means that work is lost, or it means that services are cut, or that means both. ‘
When asked if he mentions that austerity, he said: “Yes, I do it, because it is basically a role of austerity to reduce the levels of public expenses at the expense of the poorest in our society.”
‘Labor MPs upset’
Mr. Corbyn said that LPs of labor that were “not in the mood” to talk to him after his election as an independent parliament now tell him that they were “very upset” – and encouraged them to speak rather than “pass the dollar”.
It was stated to him that his time as leader of the labor led to the party’s worst election in decades, and ministers could say if he is unhappy, then they do something right.
But Mr. Corbyn said if Sir Keir “cares to look at the manifesto again on which he stood” in 2019 there was a ‘clear plan’ to address homelessness, rental levels and poverty in society.
He said that the prime minister has “distanced himself” from the policy these days, but that he will not be used or he thought he was a chameleon.
Mr Corbyn said: “There are many chameleons in parliament. It’s about how a government should approach the society in which we live.
“If you are satisfied with the levels of poverty … this is your view. I am not. I do not believe that most MPs are satisfied with it. So they must realize that it is their opportunity to do something fundamental. It seems to me that they are trying to pass on the money. ‘
You can fully watch the interview on the Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge at 19:00.
