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Sir Keir Starmer has reaffirmed his tendency to propulsion done arguable payment cuts contempt a mounting rebellion among his ain MPs.
The premier curate said determination was a "clear motivation case" for his reforms, which see measures designed to slash £5bn a twelvemonth from the payment measure by 2030.
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While galore Labour MPs initially indicated they backed the measure successful principle, enactment has ebbed distant implicit caller months amid warnings astir the interaction the cuts could person connected the astir susceptible successful society.
More than 100 Labour MPs person present signed a "reasoned amendment" to reason the government's proposals erstwhile they are enactment to a ballot adjacent Tuesday.
However, speaking to reporters connected the level to the NATO acme successful The Hague, the premier curate reiterated the lawsuit for the alleged Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Bill, contempt the gathering absorption from his ain side.
"There is simply a wide motivation case, which is the existent strategy doesn't assistance those who privation to get into work," helium said. "It traps people."
Welfare strategy 'unsustainable'
Sir Keir said astir 1,000 radical a time were going connected to PIP - equivalent to the size of the colonisation of Leicester.
"That is not a strategy that tin beryllium near unreformed, not slightest due to the fact that it's unsustainable, and truthful you won't person a payment strategy for those that request it successful the future," helium continued.
"So those that attraction astir a aboriginal payment strategy person to reply the question - 'how bash you betterment what you've got to marque definite it's sustainable for the future?'"
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On Tuesday, Downing Street suggested the ballot would inactive spell up contempt the nationalist concerns of immoderate MPs - including influential chairs of parliamentary prime committees.
Asked whether the authorities was assured it could walk the legislation, a Number 10 spokesperson told reporters: "We are focused connected delivering past week's measure and engaging, talking to colleagues, arsenic to wherefore this betterment is truthful important."
Pressed connected whether the ballot was happening adjacent week, they added: "I would ne'er get up of parliamentary business. It's scheduled for adjacent week. We are committed to reforming welfare."
Introduced successful March, the government's payment measure outlines proposals to marque it harder for immoderate disabled radical to suffice for idiosyncratic independency outgo (PIP).
PIP is wealth for radical who person other attraction needs oregon mobility needs arsenic a effect of a disability.
People who assertion it - immoderate of whom are successful enactment - are awarded points depending connected their quality to bash definite activities, specified arsenic washing and preparing food, and this influences however overmuch they volition receive.
Under the plans, from November 2026, radical volition request to people a minimum of 4 points successful astatine slightest 1 enactment to suffice for the regular surviving constituent of PIP - alternatively of less points crossed a broader scope of tasks the idiosyncratic needs assistance with.
Currently, the modular complaint is fixed if radical people betwixt 8 and 11 points overall, portion the enhanced complaint applies from 12 points.
The changes bash not impact the mobility constituent of PIP.
The measure besides contains changes to Universal Credit.
From April adjacent year, the wellness constituent of Universal Credit volition beryllium frozen successful currency presumption for existing claimants astatine £97 per week until 2029/2030.
For caller claimants from April 2026, the wellness constituent of Universal Credit volition beryllium reduced to £50 per week.
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