Good morning. At prime minister’s questions yesterday, Keir Starmer laid the groundwork for what is likely to be a major controversy facing his government in the weeks leading up to the chancellor’s spring statement: cuts to incapacity and disability benefits. The system is “broken”, he said: “It is indefensible, economically and morally, and we must and we will reform it.”
All of which sounds reasonable enough. But to many observers, the reality of what Labour is planning – a £6bn cut made mostly through the key disability benefit, personal independence payments (Pip) – looks much more alarming: an attempt to balance the budget on the backs of disabled people. Last night, Pippa Crerar reported that the issue could bring the biggest rebellion of Starmer’s premiership, with dozens of MPs urging the government to think again.
