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“Alan Milburn, the Tony Blair-era health secretary, told the Guardian he believed ministers should reduce benefits payments to help pay for more employment support, opening a potentially contentious debate within the Labour party over welfare cuts.”

“The Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, has made demands for cuts to welfare a central plank of her attacks on the government, telling Burnham in prime minister’s questions (PMQs) on Wednesday that he should cut welfare to fund higher defence spending.”

“Burnham has said he wanted to avoid “crude cuts”, and used his party conference speech to signal an overhaul of the welfare system to pay for an expansion of youth jobs and training support.”

“Everyone tells me this is all about Andy: “His empathy cuts through,” says one Scottish politician, “He has a natural instinct for connection,” says a campaigner from Manchester, “People on the doors love him!” exclaims a branch organiser from Loughborough.”

“…eech is a sign that the government is preparing the ground again for changes to the welfare system after Keir Starmer’s government was forced to U-turn last year on a £5bn-a-year programme of disability benefit cuts in the face of a Labour backbench…”