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Even though Keir Starmer ir has made a partial U-turn on the measure, around 150,000 people will be forced into poverty by the end of the decade as a result of welfare cuts planned by the Labour Government.
The British Prime Minister last week dumped a key component of the package of cutbacks on disability benefits in an attempt to ease the looming uprising of Labour lawmakers.
According to modelling by the Ministry of Labor and Pensions, these original proposals would have driven 250,000 people into poverty by 2030.
But the revised measures voted by lawmakers on Tuesday will drive 150,000 people into poverty, fresh government estimates released Monday showed.
However, modelling did not include “potential positive impacts” from additional funding and measures to support people with disabilities or with long-term health conditions at work.
Liz Kendall, secretary of labor and pensions, set out details of the climb on Monday regarding government welfare reform.
A key concession from Starmer was that stricter rules for claiming individual independent payments (PIPs) would only apply to new applicants, not to those who were already benefiting.
He also agreed to continue to supplement the work-related elements of Universal Credit in line with existing claimant inflation.
Talks are still underway between Whip and Labour MPs, leaving the door open for potential concessions before Tuesday’s vote.
When asked if there were any further tweaks to the package, Downing Street said, “The government continues to be closely involved with colleagues before the vote.”
Kendall issued a statement to the House on Monday afternoon ahead of a key vote on the welfare bill, Tuesday, considering whether dozens of Labour lawmakers still oppose the law. The government, along with the opposition, will lose if 83 Labour lawmakers vote against the measure.
The minister is hoping to see the greatest rebellion of the Star Prime Minister, devouring 16 people who opposed the whip during the passage of the Plan and Infrastructure Bill earlier this month.
According to Philip Cowley, a political professor at Queen Mary University, Tony Blair’s biggest rebellion in his first year involved 47 backventures.
Kendall’s statement, along with a written statement by disabled person, Steven Timmes, sets the terms of delegation for a comprehensive review of the PIP.
Skill Minister Barones Jackie Smith was sent on Monday to protect the government’s planned reforms from undermine.
“What I think is important is that I’m going to start tomorrow.
“Wealth reform has always been difficult, and I think it has improved this legislation because of the involvement with Labour lawmakers who have rightly raised concerns from their members about how this reform works.”
While some lawmakers welcome concessions in priority, critics say there is a risk of creating a “two-tier” welfare system that people who become disabled could lose after reforms are implemented.
Downing Street questioned whether the two-tier benefits system for new and existing claimants was legal, claiming that it was “confident.”
A spokesperson said, “It’s not uncommon for a system to operate at different levels.”
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The Prime Minister argued that reforms are essential to stop welfare budgets from rising more than ever before, but he argued that the change would reduce government savings from nearly £5 billion to around £2.5 billion.
Combined with previous U-turns on winter fuel payments for pensioners, Prime Minister Rachel Reeves has a hole in his nearly £4 billion budget.
The Treasury says the hole won’t be filled by “permanent” borrowing, dictating how it will be funded in the fall budget, urging critics to warn Reeves that they need to increase taxes.
As it is not possible to change the actual text of the welfare bill at this stage, lawmakers are being asked to take the Minister’s statement as a promise that it will be changed later.
