Sir Keir Starmer suggested ministerial language on welfare reform has sometimes been misguided and insisted “dignity” is what drives his politics as he defended Government plans to slash the benefits bill.
The Prime Minister said people “occasionally don’t get it quite right” with the words they use and are “quite right” to apologise for doing so as he faced a grilling from MPs over the spending squeeze.
He said dignity was “probably the most important word in my dictionary” and has guided his decision-making in Government after being asked whether he agreed it was important to prevent language which “demonises” claimants.
It comes after Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones apologised for likening benefits to “pocket money” following a backlash over his remarks made in the wake of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ spring statement.
Asked whether there would be efforts to clamp down on the use of such language, Sir Keir told the Commons Liaison Committee on Tuesday: “Of course language matters.
“I think every member of Cabinet knows that. Occasionally people don’t get it quite right. They usually apologise and are quite right to.”
He added: “The two values that have driven me in everything I’ve done as a lawyer and as a politician are dignity and respect. Dignity is probably the most important word in my dictionary.”
Mr Jones had sought to explain that extra funding to learn new skills and get into work would make people better off than if they relied on benefits payments alone.
Ms Reeves later said he had made a “clumsy” analogy when he compared the uplift for skills to his children working a weekend job on top of receiving pocket money.
The Chancellor made further cuts to welfare during her spring statement last month, aimed at reducing the welfare bill by nearly £5 billion, as she seeks to balance the country’s books.
Some 370,000 people currently on disability benefits would lose on average £4,500 per year in 2029/30, as a result of the changes, the Government’s own impact assessment said.
During his appearance before the committee on Tuesday, Labour MP and chairwoman of the Women and Equalities Committee Sarah Owen told Sir Keir the proposals had “caused quite a bit of stress” among people with disabilities.
Sir Keir said one of his “guiding principles” in the reforms was ensuring that “those people that do need support and protection should get support and protection”.
“I do want to bring people together on this, and it’s very important we take different views into account,” the Prime Minister said.
He added: “It’s also important for people who have disabilities which mean they can never work, that they’re not constantly reassessed, because certainly that is something I’ve picked up as a constant cause of anxiety.
“That’s why I personally think we should be doing more protection, a premium for those that are in the most severe category and never going to be able to work, and also relieve them of the pressure of being reassessed when we know that the reassessment isn’t going to make any material difference.”
He also questioned the Office for Budget Responsibility’s assessment of the Government’s plans, saying it had not “priced in” the ability of policies to change behaviour.
“The assumption is not a single person changes their behaviour,” he said.
“I personally struggle with that way of looking at it, because I do think that these measures will make a material difference. You talk about needs, and I am very worried about the one in eight young people who is currently not earning or learning.”
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch criticised the remarks, saying in a post on social media: “Labour literally passed a law in October requiring the Government to listen to the OBR…now they’re criticising it.
“Another Reeves gimmick that shows they don’t know what they are doing. From the Jobs Tax to snatching winter fuel payments – Labour are making everything worse.”
In other developments, the Prime Minister:
– Stepped up his criticism of regulators, telling MPs he was “astonished” by how many there were and saying he was “frustrated” by the barriers they put up.
– Called for an inquiry into the killing of 15 aid workers in Gaza and said international law “underpins everything we do bilaterally and multilaterally” when questioned about the conflict in the Middle East.
– Said he would speak to the intelligence agencies and the Kyiv government after Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky said two Chinese citizens had been captured fighting as part of the Russian army.
– Said changes to the social care system could come as soon as next year amid a review led by Baroness Louise Casey.
