THE Prime Minister has defended plans to make substantial welfare cuts, saying he “understands the worries” of disabled people due to his own family experience.
It comes as Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall is set to unveil more than £6 billion in cuts to welfare, primarily through making it harder for people to get disability benefits and cutting the rate of Universal Credit for those deemed unfit to work.
The move has been widely criticised by opposition parties and charities, who have argued the cuts will have "catastrophic" consequences for people with disabilities and long-term health issues.
Keir Starmer was asked about the changes by Labour MP John Slinger at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.
In response, the Labour leader mentioned his brother Nick – who had learning difficulties after complications during his birth and passed away on Boxing Day last year.
His mother Josephine, meanwhile, has Still’s disease – a rare type of arthritis.
Starmer said: “I come from a family that dealt with a disability through my mother and brother over many years, so I do understand the concerns that have been raised by him.
“But we inherited a system which is broken, it is indefensible, economically and morally, and we must and we will reform it.”
He went on: “We will have clear principles, we will protect those who need protecting.
"We will also support those who can work, back to work, but Labour is the party of work, we’re also the party of equality and fairness.”
Ed Davey, meanwhile, asked for Starmer to calm the fears of disabled people who are unable to work, after rumoured welfare cuts could mean changes to their support.
The Liberal Democrats leader said: “The Prime Minister has rightly spoken about the need to get more people into work, and he repeated that now, so people have more dignity, we can get the economy going, and we can cut the benefits bill after the disgraceful legacy left by the Conservatives.
“But does the Prime Minister recognise that for many disabled people the best way to help them into work is to support them properly, with more special equipment, with training, with better healthcare and so on. And will he also today calm anxieties that he himself has raised for many of us that the disability benefits for people who simply cannot work will not be cut?”
Starmer, referring to the opposition benches during his response, said: “We will of course support those who need support, but help those who can work into work. They’ll be the guiding principles. But what we’ve inherited is shocking, and they ought to be silent.
“One in eight young people not in education, work or training. That is a lost generation. That is their inheritance. They’ve got plenty to say now, they did nothing for 14 years and that is a terrible inheritance.”
