PM and ministers now admit welfare reforms went too far

It was only 10 days ago that embattled Welfare Secretary Liz Kendall, trying to convince MPs to back her reforms, said ministers were "firm in our convictions".

People on Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and universal credit were too often being "written off", while the welfare bill was becoming unsustainable.

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After an unprecedented rebellion by Labour MPs forced the prime minister into a significant retreat, today sees an interesting shift in those convictions.

Ms Kendall's colleague Wes Streeting, who was drafted onto calls with angry backbenchers, tells Sky News he didn't want disabled people in his constituency surgeries on a Friday, telling him they were worse off when that was not the intention.

This is exactly what many Labour MPs and disability groups were arguing was inevitable if current claimants were stripped of their benefits.

Sir Keir Starmer, in a series of Sunday newspaper interviews in which he reflects on mistakes, says he now believes there was no point ploughing ahead with something which "doesn't necessarily achieve the desired outcome".

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Having rushed forward these reforms to save £5bn in the spending review, it now seems ministers are admitting the package needed more thought.

The welfare bill is rising sharply, and many voters broadly support the idea of tackling it.

But even if the draft legislation, which will affect new benefit claimants only, is voted through (and that's still an "if'", with dozens of Labour MPs still weighing it up), this debacle - for many MPs at least - goes to the heart of whose side the government is on.

(c) Sky News 2025: PM and ministers now admit welfare reforms went too far