Keir Starmer has been accused of “peddling the benefit scrounger mythology” after pledging to “get a grip” on the cost of welfare.
The Government is set to unleash a new clampdown, which will see claimants who refuse to look for work face benefit sanctions. The PM claimed the welfare bill is “blighting our society” and declared war on those who “game the system”.
Labour has vowed to stick to a Tory commitment to slash £3billion from the benefits system over five years. New figures suggest more than four million people will be claiming long-term sickness support by 2029 – up from just over three million last year.
The PM pledged “sweeping changes”, adding: “Because make no mistake, we will get to grips with the bulging benefits bill blighting our society. Don’t get me wrong, we will crack down hard on anyone who tries to game the system, to tackle fraud so we can take cash straight from the banks of fraudsters.”
Following Mr Starmer’s remarks in the Mail on Sunday, veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott said: “Sad that Starmer is peddling the benefit scrounger mythology.” It comes as figures Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall warned new measures would include sanctions.
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She said: “If people repeatedly refuse to take up the training or work responsibilities, there will be sanctions on their benefits.” Ms Kendall said claimants have a “responsibility” to engage with skills or employment programmes.
And she added that “many millions” of disabled people and those with long-term health problems want to work, saying: “We need to break down the barriers to that happening.” The previous government planned to save money by tightening rules so that 400,000 people signed off long-term would be assessed as needing to prepare for work by 2028/29.
Asked if these people would have their benefits removed, Ms Kendall told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg: “I’m saying we will bring forward our own reforms. You wouldn’t expect me to announce this on your programme.
“But my objective is that disabled people should have the same chances and rights to work as everybody else.”