Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall will be answering questions from MPs this afternoon. There is anger in Labour over proposed changes to the benefits system, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves previously insisting “we do need to get a grip” on the welfare budget.
false,Monday 17 March 2025 07:58, UK
Sky News’ deputy political editor Sam Coates and Politico’s Anne McElvoy have their guide to the day ahead in British politics.
With Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s spring statement fast approaching, Labour faces a major challenge from its own backbenchers ahead of an announcement to restrict some sickness and disability benefits. Sam and Anne discuss the stakes for Sir Keir Starmer and the plausibility of a party rebellion.
Plus, it’s classroom war over schools and academies, as Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson comes under pressure over her plans to shake up curriculums. But why is the schools bill causing such a stir?
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Treasury minister Emma Reynolds has just been speaking to Sky News about the government’s plans to cut welfare spending.
A potential rebellion from within the party over the plans is already crystallising – especially from those on the left of the party.
But Reynolds plays this down.
Last week, Labour MPs were invited into Downing Street to discuss the measures and placate them in the face of the changes – and more talks are expected this week.
The minister says: “Well, look, we have a big majority.
“We are a government that’s secured a mandate for change.
“It is absolutely every day business that we should have discussions with backbenchers, meetings between our MPs and ministers happen all day, every day.
“So this isn’t something that is any different, but we are determined to strike the right balance here.”
Could Thames Water make Rachel Reeves’ job even harder?
In the coming days, the Court of Appeal is going to rule on one of the many contested areas of how the embattled water company works.
This is one of a number of things that could ultimately tip it into special administration, or public ownership.
I’m told that in government, they believe that the cost to government could top £11bn over five years.
That’s because it would cost roughly £2.2bn a year of public assistance before they can get it back into private ownership, probably in the next decade.
I believe that this figure does not currently appear in the Office for Budget Responsibility document out next week. But, if things change in the coming days – the court case goes the wrong way or there’s more rows – then it could appear under the “risks and uncertainties” sections.
Rachel Reeves only left herself £9.9bn headroom before she breaks her self-imposed borrowing limits.
She can ill afford a £2.2bn a year bill to be added to that total anytime soon.
Another reason why she should have left herself more breathing space?
Exclusive by Alex Rogers, political reporter
A row is brewing between teaching unions and Number 10 over the impact AI could have on jobs, Sky News has learnt.
The National Education Union (NEU), the largest teaching union in the UK, is concerned AI teaching tools could lead to some in the profession losing work, particularly lower-paid teaching assistants whose tasks could become automated.
Alarm bells were set off in January when the government announced it was giving £1m in funding to 16 tech companies to build teacher AI tools “for feedback and marking, driving high and rising education standards”.
NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede told Sky News that while there were positive aspects to the rollout of AI, he felt there had “not been any meaningful discussion with the sector yet” and that the Department for Education (DfE) was “running away with itself”.
“AI can reduce workload, slash bureaucracy and there is a role to reduce admin and workload for teachers – but education and learning is ultimately a relational and social experience,” he said.
“AI can be used in a progressive way or it can be used in the way of Elon Musk,” he added, referring to the tech billionaire who is spearheading Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) to cut federal waste.
Labour faces a major challenge from its own backbenchers ahead of an announcement to restrict some sickness and disability benefits.
The plans are likely to be opposed by those in the party who are concerned about attempts to slash the ballooning welfare bill and encourage adults back to work.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall is expected to set out the reforms on Tuesday, but details of where those cuts could fall is proving highly divisive within Labour.
Total welfare spending in 2023-24 was about £296bn, by the end of the decade it is forecast to reach almost £378bn.
The chancellor needs to find savings to meet her strict fiscal rules and Rachel Reeves has previously insisted “we do need to get a grip” on the welfare budget.
One proposal reportedly under consideration is to save around £5bn by tightening the rules around the personal independence payment (PIP).
Welcome to another week in Westminster with the Politics Hub.
This week, we are expecting to hear more about the government’s plans to change welfare and benefits as they look to save money from the public purse.
It’s a divisive topic for Labour, with many on the left of the party reacting furiously to the prospect of their party reducing the amount of taxpayer money available.
But Wes Streeting told Sky News yesterday that the current system is “unsustainable”.
Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, is facing a grilling in the Commons this afternoon as her department faces its turn to answer questions from MPs in what will surely be a blockbuster session at 2.30pm.
Elsewhere, Chancellor Rachel Reeves is meeting with regulators as the government continues its bonfire of the quangos.
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK is hosting a news conference today at midday.
The insurgent party has been embroiled in scandal and infighting following the suspension of MP Rupert Lowe.
And in the world of the Conservatives, Kemi Badenoch is giving a speech this afternoon.
Speaking to Sky News this morning will be Treasury minister Emma Reynolds just after 7am.
She’ll be followed by suspended Labour MP John McDonnell – who had the whip removed over a rebellion on benefits.
Shadow education minister Neil O’Brien will be on just after 8am.
The Conservatives will begin the process of formulating new policies this week as leader Kemi Badenoch seeks to rebuild her party after its catastrophic defeat last year.
A Conservative source said “nothing is off the table” in a process that starts on Tuesday and will see Mrs Badenoch task her shadow cabinet with coming up with proposals they can put before the electorate.
The source said: “Kemi is not afraid to make sweeping changes where necessary.
“The launch of this policy process will ensure the Conservatives are ready with a plan that will get government working for the British people once more.
“This will be in stark contrast to Keir Starmer and Labour, who have shown they had no plan and are making everything worse.”
The Tories ‘ “policy renewal process” echoes a similar approach taken under David Cameron’s early days as leader as he attempted to change the party’s image to beat New Labour, although not every proposal became official party policy.
Shadow cabinet members will lead the process in their respective areas, but will consult party members, supporters, thinktanks and other experts.
Since becoming leader last year, Mrs Badenoch has been reluctant to commit to many specific policies, saying she wanted to focus on Conservative principles and rebuilding trust instead.
The party faces a challenge of what direction to go in, as it faces a threat from Reform UK on the right but also lost many votes to Labour and the Lib Dems.
Ms Badenoch has made some commitments in response to Labour’s plans, including reversing their decision to charge VAT on private school fees and restoring the inheritance tax exemption for family-owned farms.
She may come under pressure to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), as several prominent Conservatives including her leadership rival and shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick have previously advocated.
With Mr Jenrick now in charge of the process for determining justice policy such a move could be back on the table.
Since taking office nine months ago Sir Keir Starmer has weathered party rows about winter fuel payments, the two child benefit cap, WASPI women, airport expansion and cuts to international aid.
All of these decisions have been justified in the name of balancing the books – filling that notorious £22bn black hole, sticking to the fiscal rules, and in the pursuit of growth as the government’s number one priority.
But welfare reform feels like a far more existential row.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting argued on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips that the current system is “unsustainable”.
Ministers have been making the point for weeks that the health benefits bill for working-age people has ballooned by £20bn since the pandemic and is set to grow by another £18bn over the next five years, to £70bn.
But the detail of where those cuts could fall is proving highly divisive.
One proposal reportedly under consideration has been to freeze personal independence payments (PIPs) next year, rather than uprating them in line with inflation.
Charities have warned this would be a catastrophic real-terms cut to 3.6 million people.
Concerned left-wing backbenchers are calling on the government to tax the rich, not take from the most vulnerable.
Read more from our political correspondent Amanda Akass:
A couple who were fined £1,500 after they found an “immigrant” in their motorhome’s bike rack have had the penalty cancelled.
Joanne and Adrian Fenton found a young man under the cover of their bike rack after returning home to Essex from France.
After reporting the incident to the police they were fined by the Home Office.
Speaking to Sky New’s The UK Tonight With Sarah-Jane Mee last week, Mr Fenton said he and his wife had checked their vehicle upon leaving France, the car was alarmed and border officials also inspected it at passport control.
They had no idea the man was there and called the police immediately.
The UK’s Border Force have now cancelled the fine after the pair raised an objection.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the Home Office would look into the case after it was raised in the Commons by the couple’s MP, Conservative former minister Sir John Whittingdale.
He said his constituents should be “thanked rather than punished”.
Under the UK’s clandestine entrant civil penalty scheme, drivers must secure their vehicles to prevent unauthorised access of migrants or face a fine.
Read More from Sky News here:
Wes Streeting has denied that Labour is “changing into the Tories” with its welfare reforms, amid speculation disability benefits could be cut.
The health secretary told Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that it is “not a Labour argument to say that we want people consigned to a life of benefit”.
However he refused to be drawn on how the government is planning to get more people into work, saying contrary to media reports of internal divisions the proposals have “not been discussed” in cabinet yet.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall is expected to unveil a series of measures to cut welfare spending next week, ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s spring statement.
Read More from Sky News:
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