PMQs Live – Keir Starmer faces grilling over DWP profit minimize plans from Labour MPs
Keir Starmer faces PMQs today amid major anger among Labour MPs over plans to slash billions from benefits.
The PM could face difficult questions from his own backbenchers as the government seeks to cut £5billion from Personal Independence Payment (PIP) – a benefit that helps people with extra living and mobility costs linked to their disability.
In rare public criticism of the Labour government, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) said on Wednesday that leaked plans to slash disability support “is not the solution”.
General Secretary Paul Nowak warned: “A major lesson from the Tory years is that austerity damaged the nation’s health. We must not make the same mistake again. Pushing disabled people into hardship with cuts to support will only make the current challenges worse – and will not win public support.”
The PM may also face questions over Donald Trump’s decision to slap global tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports to the US. The UK has suggested there will be no “knee-jerk” reaction from the British government, which is pushing for an economic deal with the Trump White House to eliminate tariffs.
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Keir Starmer ally hits out at DWP benefit cut plan in rare public criticism
Keir Starmer has been warned by a key ally not to repeat the mistakes of Tory austerity with controversial cuts to benefits.
In rare public criticism of the Labour government, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) said on Wednesday that leaked plans to slash disability support “is not the solution”.
General Secretary Paul Nowak warned: “A major lesson from the Tory years is that austerity damaged the nation’s health. We must not make the same mistake again. Pushing disabled people into hardship with cuts to support will only make the current challenges worse – and will not win public support.”
While he said trade unions share minister’s hopes to improve the nation’s health, he went on: “Cutting PIP is not the solution – not least because it enables many disabled people to access work so that they do not have to rely on out of work benefits.”
Treasury Minister slams Donald Trump tariff move as ‘disappointing’
Treasury minister James Murray described the move by Donald Trump’s White House to slap tariffs on UK steel and aluminum overnight as “disappointing”.
But he suggested on Sky News there will be no “knee-jerk” reaction from the British government after the EU retaliated to the move.
He said: “We’re champions of free and open trade but our response to this is a pragmatic one – it’s to continue negotiating an economic agreement with the US with the potential to eliminate tariffs because we know that’s in the best interests of UK businesses. That’s the cool-headed, pragmatic approach that we’re going to continue where we engage closely and productively with the US.”
