Keir Starmer repeatedly refused to commit to cutting benefits today as he was mauled by Kemi Badenoch at PMQs. The Prime Minister dodged as he was challenged by the Tory leader on whether he wanted to bring spending on welfare down. Mrs Badenoch pointed to comments by Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden - exposed in the Mandelson files earlier this week. Mr McFadden was revealed to have complained to the disgraced former minister that Labour MPs only cared about who they can 'tax in order to pay benefits to others'. Mrs Badenoch accused Sir Keir of giving up on reducing welfare costs because his party has 'given up on him'.
Keir Starmer repeatedly refused to commit to cutting benefits as he was mauled by Kemi Badenoch at PMQs. The Prime Minister dodged as he was challenged by the Tory leader on whether he wanted to bring spending on welfare down.
Mrs Badenoch pointed to comments by Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden - exposed in the Mandelson files earlier this week. Mr McFadden was revealed to have complained to the disgraced former minister that Labour MPs only cared about who they can 'tax in order to pay benefits to others'. Mrs Badenoch accused Sir Keir of giving up on reducing welfare costs because his party has 'given up on him'.
Speaking during Prime Minister's Questions she said: 'Last year, I remember they were planning to cut benefits, and on the floor of this House, they U-turned. What did he do when he had a chance? He caved.
'He caved to all these MPs behind him who don't want benefits brought down, that's why they're sitting silently behind him. 'So does the Prime Minister agree with his welfare secretary that that was the moment he lost his authority?
' Kemi Badenoch accused the Prime Minister of giving up on bringing down welfare costs because his party has 'given up on him' Keir Starmer dodged as he was challenged by the Tory leader on whether he wanted to bring spending on welfare down The Prime Minister said he was proud of what his Government was delivering. 'The fastest growing economy in the G7 - they said that couldn't be done.
'The OECD forecast UK growth is up, and inflation is down, net migration, which reached nearly a million under them, is down by a staggering 82 per cent. ' Mr McFadden today defended his efforts to reform the welfare system after the publication of his messages, saying they reflected the typical 'back and forth' between politicians, and that he wrote them without expecting them to be published.
'We need to change the question that the welfare system asks,' the Work and Pensions Secretary told GB News. 'What I mean by that is we need to move from a question which just asks what benefits are you entitled to, to a question that says how can we help you change your life.
'I think that is a progressive welfare reform question, because it puts work and opportunity at the heart of what you're trying to do, I've been saying that in public and in private for a long time. ' He added: 'I don't think you can or should do welfare reform just by saying ''here's a sum of money we've got to save'', and then you graft on the policy afterwards.
' The Conservative leader also ramped up 'cover-up' claims, after Sir Keir admitted he used disappearing WhatsApps. She jibed that was a case of 'disappearing messages from a disappearing PM'. The 1,500 pages of Mandelson-related messages gave a stark glimpse into tensions at the heart of Government. Mr McFadden candidly admitted that Sir Keir's authority was 'destroyed' by a revolt last summer that blocked welfare reforms.
Read More Treasury watchdog says impact of Rachel Reeves' huge 'jobs tax' in first Budget was even worse than expected No10 has said the PM still has full confidence in Mr McFadden. Mandelson and ministers were exposed in the messages as having discussed how things 'don't look good' for Sir Keir. Gordon Brown is said to 'have it in for' the premier and be favouring Angela Rayner, while No10 staff are branded 'sub-optimal'.
Wes Streeting - until recently the health secretary and now a leadership hopeful - is described by Mandelson as sending a 'wild long hysterical message' criticising Israel. Amid a row over the Government recognising Palestine as a state, the ambassador jibed that Mr Streeting was having an 'early midlife crisis' and lacked 'maturity'.
The Labour carnage was foreshadowed by a handwritten note from Mandelson to then-Foreign Secretary Mr Lammy at the end of 2024, saying Sir Keir would 'never regret' appointing him as US ambassador. It is clear the PM was not alone in wanting Mandelson for the job, as a slew of fawning ministers rushed to congratulate him personally.
Pat McFadden was revealed to have complained to the disgraced former minister that Labour MPs only cared about who they can 'tax in order to pay benefits to others' Mandelson (pictured) and ministers were exposed in the messages as having discussed how things 'don't look good' for Sir Keir Despite the scale of the document dump some key papers are still being withheld at the request of Scotland Yard, which is investigating the former peer over alleged misconduct in public office. Sir Keir barely featured in 1,500 pages of documents finally released by the Government on Monday, months after they were demanded by Parliament.
The glaring hole was partly explained when the PM's spokesman confirmed yesterday that he has the disappearing messages function activated. A host of other Cabinet ministers, including Rachel Reeves and David Lammy, appear to have been spared embarrassment because they also use the option on WhatsAp
Keir Starmer Kemi Badenoch Pat Mcfadden Mandelson Pmqs
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Keir Starmer Dodges Benefit Cut Commitment as Kemi Badenoch Attacks Over Mandelson FilesDuring PMQs, Labour leader Keir Starmer avoided committing to cutting welfare spending amid criticism from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch. Badenoch highlighted comments from Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden, revealed in the Mandelson files, suggesting Labour MPs prioritize taxing to fund benefits. She accused Starmer of losing authority after a welfare reform revolt. Starmer countered with economic achievements. The Mandelson messages exposed internal government tensions, including criticism of Starmer and other ministers, while some documents remain withheld due to a police investigation. The WhatsApp message deletion controversy also surfaced, with Downing Street defending the practice.
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