Kemi on the attack over 'ticking tax timebomb'

TORY leader Kemi Badenoch plans to "throw down the gauntlet" and challenge MPs to back measures to get Britain's spiralling benefits bill under control. It comes amid warnings the country faces a "ticking tax timebomb" with Chancellor Rachel Reeves reportedly telling the Cabinet taxes must go up to cover the cost of abandoned welfare reforms.

- By David Williamson CHIEF POLITICAL COMMENTATOR

This week, Mrs Badenoch will present the Conservatives as the only party ready to take bold action to get a grip on the cost of benefits.

She will warn it is "immoral", "unaffordable" and "unjustifiable" to ask taxpayers to "fork out a projected £100billion a year on health and disability benefits by 2030".

The Tories plan to present Parliament with proposed changes, which would require people seeking Personal Independence Payments (PIPs) to have a face-to-face meeting with an assessor, bringing an end to remote assessments.

The changes would also prevent anyone becoming a "severe conditions" Universal Credit claimant solely on the basis of a "lifelong diagnosis of anxiety, mild depression or ADHD".

Conservatives said this would "tackle the explosion in people claiming disability benefits due to low-level mental health conditions". They would also restrict PIPs to British citizens unless required by international treaties.