Cliff Notes – Minister denies misleading voters over benefits cuts
- Minister Stephen Timms asserts Labour did not mislead voters regarding a £5bn package of benefit cuts, despite the party’s manifesto not explicitly mentioning any cuts.
- However, he was caught out live on air.
- Significant reforms include changing the qualification criteria for personal independence payments (PIP) and replacing the work capability assessment (WCA) with a new test, which has met criticism from unions and charities.
- Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer defends the cuts as necessary, highlighting the growing costs of incapacity and disability benefits under past Conservative governance.
Minister denies misleading voters over benefits cuts – as he’s shown awkward old tweet
A minister has denied misleading Labour voters with a £5bn package of benefit cuts that was not in the party’s manifesto.
Stephen Timms told Sky News Breakfast with Wilfred Frost that Labour pledged to “fix the broken system” during the election campaign and said it would reform or replace the work capability assessment (WCA).
PM defends welfare cuts – scaremongering
Scrapping the WCA was one of a series of measures announced on Tuesday, along with narrowing the criteria to qualify for some health and disability benefits.
Labour’s manifesto said: “We believe the work capability assessment is not working and needs to be reformed or replaced, alongside a proper plan to support disabled people to work.”
However, it did not explicitly mention cuts.
Asked if Labour had misled people, social security minister Mr Timms said: “No.”
There’s always a tweet…
It was put to him that his boss Liz Kendall previously tweeted against benefit cuts being considered by former Tory Chancellor George Osborne under his austerity programme.
In 2016, the now work and pensions secretary retweeted a colleague who accused Mr Osborne of introducing the cuts “to give handouts to the rich”, alongside a petition campaigning against the measure.
Mr Timms said the Tories “made lots of changes which did a great deal of damage”, including reforms to universal credit which put more people on the higher rate and meant they were “no longer supported into work”.
“We opposed damaging changes the previous government made,” he said.
“We’re bringing forward a package which we think will do the job that’s needed, support people back into work and make the system sustainable financially.”