Prime Minister Andy Burnham has been urged to shield two groups of Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) claimants from benefits cuts, as his own MPs warned they would withdraw support if he pursued "punitive" welfare reforms. The Labour Party leader faces internal rebellion over the direction of his government's social security policy.
MPs Warn Against Repeating Starmer's Mistakes
Labour MP Kim Johnson has publicly cautioned the prime minister against targeting the most vulnerable. She called on Mr Burnham to protect disabled people and low-income families from any cuts, arguing that such measures would echo the failures of his predecessor, Keir Starmer. "If the new leadership believes it can revive the failed politics of welfare cuts instead of asking the wealthiest to pay their fair share, it will be repeating not only Keir Starmer's mistakes but fourteen years of Tory austerity," Ms Johnson said.
She added: "If the first instinct of a new leadership is to target disabled people and low-income families rather than challenge the wealth and inequality at the top of society, then nothing has been learned." Her remarks highlight deepening divisions within the Labour Party over how to address the nation's fiscal challenges.
McDonnell Calls for Support Over Sanctions
Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell also weighed in, insisting that welfare reform "must be based upon a strategy of providing positive support to people rather than punitive sanction." His comments reflect widespread unease among the party's left wing about the appointment of John Healey as chancellor. Ms Johnson voiced similar concerns, noting that Healey's elevation "signals a return to a 'warfare, not welfare' approach."
The internal pressure comes as the government considers changes to the benefits system to reduce spending. Critics argue that cuts would disproportionately affect those already struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
Prime Minister's Defence of Young Claimants
In a recent BBC Panorama interview, Mr Burnham addressed concerns about benefit claimants. When asked by presenter Laura Kuenssberg whether some people were claiming support they did not need, the prime minister replied: "Well, I wouldn't necessarily go straight to blaming those people. What I would say is that there are people in the benefits system, young people in their 20s, who have been, I would say, quite seriously let down because the support wasn't there for them when it should have been there."
He continued: "So I don't blame them. I don't think the support has been there for them in the way that it should have been." The remarks suggest Mr Burnham is attempting to strike a balanced tone, but his MPs are demanding concrete guarantees that the disabled and low-income families will not bear the brunt of any cuts.
Internal Party Tensions on Welfare Reform
The warnings from Labour backbenchers indicate that the prime minister must navigate carefully to maintain unity. One MP, speaking anonymously, said Mr Burnham had to "be careful not to repeat Keir Starmer's mistake of focusing on savings rather than fairness." With a narrow majority, losing the support of even a handful of MPs could threaten the government's agenda.
As the debate continues, all eyes are on the chancellor's upcoming budget. The pressure group's demands—to shield disabled people and low-income families—are likely to remain at the centre of the political battle over the future of the welfare state.
