Newslinks for Monday 26th May 2025

Benefits and two-child benefit backtrack

“Disability benefit claimants could get more time to seek new support before Labour’s £3.4 billion welfare cuts hit as Sir Keir Starmer considers watering down the two-child benefit cap. Government sources told The Times that “tweaks” to soften the blow of the cuts were being sought. The prime minister has been attacked over the policies by his own MPs, who have already forced a U-turn on the scrapping of winter fuel payments for pensioners… The government is examining ­whether longer “transitional periods” can be offered to claimants who lose one benefit to give them a chance to ­apply for other payments they may be eligible for. Starmer announced last week that he would backtrack on plans to restrict winter fuel grants to only the most ­vulnerable pensioners, but failed to set out further details. The issue, along with cuts to disability benefits and the continuation of the two-child cap on some benefits, was blamed for Labour’s poor results in local elections this month.” – The Times

• Kemi’s warning: Don’t have lots of babies if you can’t afford them… Tory leader throws down the gauntlet to Farage and Starmer as she insists two-child benefit cap is ‘fair’ – Daily Mail
• Keir Starmer’s benefits U-turn to blow £5bn hole in Reeves’s Budget – GB News
• The ruse that lets full-time workers claim thousands in benefits – Daily Telegraph
• No 10 to speed up child poverty measures as benefits rebellion looms – The i
• Small business owners want rebate on new sickness benefit rules – The Times
• Winter fuel payments for all — is this the beginning of Reeves’ undoing? – The Times

Comment:

• The UK is going bust: Starmer and Reeves have now guaranteed it – Annabel Denham, Daily Telegraph
• Is there anything Keir Starmer won’t U-turn on? If voters don’t like his principles, no problem, he just changes them – Harry Cole, The Sun
• Unclear Keir Starmer has undermined his own cruel policy justification before our eyes – Daily Express
• A fresh tax raid would shackle booming Britain – Kallum Pickering, Daily Telegraph
• Means-testing winter fuel was obviously correct – Sam Leith, The Spectator
• Competing visions and twinges of envy: it’s Angela Rayner vs Rachel Reeves – Anne McElvoy, The i

> Today: Badenoch is right to defend the two-child benefit cap. Farage has blundered by calling for it to go.

Farage trys to outflank Starmer, courting unions and embracing the state

“Nigel Farage will challenge Sir Keir Starmer to accompany him on a visit to a working men’s club in the north of England to see who connects better with working people, as the Reform UK leader makes his pitch to traditional Labour voters. Farage will launch what aides are calling his “biggest direct attack yet” on the prime minister as he attempts to capitalise on unpopular policy decisions made by No 10. At an event on Tuesday, Farage will tell supporters that “Starmer has no connection with working people, no connection with their lived experience”.” – The Times

• Nigel Farage says Reform is now party of ‘working people’ with huge benefits announcement – Daily Express
• The charts that show Labour would be in trouble if an election were held now – The i
• University union lays groundwork for first-ever strike ballot against Labour government – LBC

Comment:

• Nigel Farage’s big announcement will pile more pressure on PM – Ali Fortescue, Sky News
• Is a Reform row brewing over voting changes? – Andrew Pierce, Daily Mail
• The NHS should be Farage’s next hobby horse – James Kirkup, The Spectator

Badenoch’s run-in with the Government car service

“Kemi Badenoch has questions to answer over her use as a minister of a car and driver that were not part of the official government car service (GCS), Labour has said. The Conservative leader denied there were any security concerns on Sunday, saying there was full clearance for the driver and he was recommended by the government service. Memos obtained by the Sunday Times found officials had warned it was not recommended for her to have a contract with a car service in her constituency… Badenoch reportedly clashed with her original appointed driver and blamed him for a late arrival to her first cabinet meeting.” – The Guardian

• Badenoch has now asked for a vehicle “more befitting a future PM” – The Sun
• Memos show Badenoch was warned on car choice – The Times

Comment:

• Restoring Boris won’t save the Tories — it will destroy them – Tom Jones, Unherd
• Tories would be fools to fall for Boris Johnson again – Jenni Russell, The Times

> Today: Alexander Bowen: This time it might just be fatal

> Yesterday: It’s NOT ‘so funny how we don’t talk anymore’

News in brief:

• The death of the Young Conservative – Alwyn Turner, Unherd
• We have to rein in meddling councils – Alex Klaushofer, The Critic
• Danes are baffled by Britain’s hatred of second-home owners – James Lewisohn, The Spectator
• Will the net migration figures save Labour at the polls? – Ben Walker, The New Statesman