Liz Kendall Faces Cabinet Backlash Over £5bn Welfare Cuts – Labour in Turmoil

Liz Kendall is under fire as claims emerge that she lacks full Cabinet support for her welfare cuts, with the Tories seizing on the apparent division. Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Helen Whately pushed Kendall in Parliament, demanding to know whether she had “collective agreement” from her Cabinet colleagues ahead of announcing the controversial benefit reforms.

Kendall dodged the question, telling Whately to “show a little patience.” With Labour’s plan expected to be confirmed on Tuesday, backlash from backbenchers is mounting over reported proposals to slash around £5bn by tightening the rules on Personal Independence Payment (PIP), a benefit that provides up to £9,000 a year for those with long-term physical and mental health conditions, reported the Express.

Labour had also considered freezing PIP payments to prevent them from rising with inflation in 2026, but it appears intense pressure from within the party has led to this idea being scrapped. Despite the internal rift, Kendall remained firm, criticizing the Tories’ handling of welfare and promising a “decisive” Labour approach that would focus on getting people into work.

In the Commons, Whately accused Kendall of lacking Cabinet support, saying: “I was listening very hard to that answer and from everything I heard she still doesn’t have the support of her Cabinet colleagues with less than 24 hours to go. It was a no.”

The debate over benefits comes as spending on disability support is projected to soar from £36.3 billion in 2023/24 (12% of the total welfare budget) to £59.4 billion in 2029/30 (16%). Kendall insisted that while MPs would soon see Labour’s proposals, the Government would not shy away from making “the right decisions” to help people who can work while ensuring security for those who cannot.

Tory MP Andrew Snowden accused Labour of making “U-turn after U-turn” on welfare reform, while Liberal Democrat spokesman Steve Darling pressed Kendall for assurances that disabled people unable to work would not see cuts to their benefits. Kendall responded: “We know there will always be people who cannot work because of the nature of their disability and their health condition and those people will be protected.”

Labour veteran Diane Abbott voiced her anger, arguing that slashing welfare “is not a Labour thing to do.” She referenced comments from former Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls, adding: “There are very many Labour supporters who agree with him. Nobody would choose to live on benefits—it’s not a lifestyle choice.”

Economist Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, warned that cutting £5bn from disability benefits wouldn’t be easy, pointing out that the Government is already spending £20bn more than it was five years ago. “The only way you can really do it is by tightening up on the eligibility criteria,” he explained but warned that past attempts to curb spending haven’t always worked due to loopholes in the system.

As Labour prepares to finalize its welfare reform plans, Kendall is facing mounting pressure from all sides—with critics warning that the wrong move could spell political disaster.