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Welfare reform concessions are humiliating for Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves

Will Dunn discusses his explosive cover story, on the New Statesman podcast.


Labour have “spent a lot of money not doing anything at all”, says Will Dunn.

On Tuesday, Keir Starmer was pressured into a dramatic climbdown of his proposals to reform the PIP system which provides financial support to disabled people.

On Wednesday, under intense scrutiny during PMQs, he failed to confirm that the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, would remain in her role.

As Starmer spoke, Reeves was visibly crying in the Commons.

While Labour struggle to find economic solutions to fill the fiscal “black hole”, the New Statesman‘s business editor Will Dunn makes the case for raising taxes.

Anoosh Chakelian is also joined by Tom McTague and Megan Kenyon to discuss, on the New Statesman podcast.

[See also: Just raise tax]

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