Asked to name the worst moment of his first year as prime minister, Keir Starmer spoke movingly about the death of his brother. If he had given a political answer – well, an honest one – it would surely have been his humiliating climbdown over cuts to disability benefits after a revolt by 126 Labour MPs.
Ministers still lick deep wounds, but tell me they have not given up on trying to reduce the ballooning welfare bill – set to rise from £313bn to £373bn by 2029-30. “It is unsustainable,” one said. “Any government would have to address it. We can’t give up on reform.”
