The government cannot “shrug” its shoulders and pretend the welfare system is “progressive”, Sir Keir Starmer said, while defending its benefits again.
The Premier told Sky News political correspondent Serena Barker-Singh He understands why some of his backs are uncomfortable, pointing out that his late mother had a disability and He recently lost his brother to cancer.
Politics Live: Protesters come in House of Lords
However, he said it is “morally indefensible that a million young people go to benefits essentially”.
“All the evidence shows that young people are in that position and so early in their lives, they will find it difficult to ever get out of it,” the prime minister said.
He said it is indefensible to have a system that makes it ‘really difficult’ for the unemployed to get to work.
“There are not many people who really argue that the status quo works,” Sir Keir said.
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Benefits cut explan
“We can’t just pull up our shoulders”
Sir Keir said there were two million people on benefits due to illness – a figure that he said would double by 2030 without government action.
“We can’t just pick up our shoulders and pretend it’s progressive to see how millions of more people go to disability benefits when they could, and many of them want to be in work,” he added.
“That’s why it’s so important that we perform these reforms.”
The £ 5bn savings package that was announced on Tuesday includes making people more difficult to claim an important disability benefit called Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
The government also delays access to the universal credit health provision until plaintiffs are 22, and use the cash to invest in training opportunities for young people.
It will go along with a £ 1bn investment in ‘measure’ to help the disabled and prolonged sick to find work, as well as several other reforms.
Read more:
What is pip?
Important welfare changes explain
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Govt ‘hastily’ welfare reforms
Labor residue
The timing of the announcement attracted criticism of chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Spring -Statement Next WednesdayWhen she is expected to cut more expenses.
At PMQS, veteran Labor Left vineyard Diane Abbott challenged the arguments of the ministers of a ‘moral’ need for change, saying: ‘It’s about the Treasury’s wish to balance the country’s books in the back of the most vulnerable and poor people in this society.’
This reflects an argument that the Tories conduct, and although they support broadly, the cuts are only caused by the damage they say that Ms Reeves’ October budget was done.
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What to expect from the Spring setting
Ministers insist that they have changed things, regardless of the fiscal situation, but it did not end the dissatisfaction, while the LP of the Labor, Chris Webb, the First of the 2024 cohort to break ranks.
This led to questions about what the Starmer government stands for, to rows of cuts to the auxiliary budget and the payment of the winter fuel, and the refusal to drop the benefit of two child.
Earlier Thursday, Defense Minister Luke Pollard Deny that labor was now a center justice party.
It comes to the health secretary West Streeting Rejected accusations have changed labor “in the Tories”.
