Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has said Prime Minister Andy Burnham will not impose "arbitrary" targets for reducing welfare spending, after days of mixed messages from ministers on the benefits bill, Politico Europe reports.
Speaking on Friday, Streeting said the previous government under Keir Starmer had gone "too far too fast" with a fixed savings figure, and that support collapsed once people saw the impact on disabled people. Starmer's earlier attempt to cut welfare was dropped after a revolt by Labour MPs.
On Thursday John Healey said the benefits bill would come down, but the Treasury later said no timetable had been set for cuts in this parliament. Spending on working-age disability benefits in England and Wales has risen from £14bn in 2020 to £25bn this year. A review led by Alan Milburn on young people out of work is due in November.
Source: Politico Europe
