Benefit cuts U-turn on cards amid party split

SIR Keir Starmer is considering a humiliating U-turn on cuts to benefits for disabled people.

- By Christian Calgie

The Prime Minister is facing a major split in his party over the welfare proposals.

Plans had been floated that would have seen cuts of up to £6billion in order to slash the cost of Britain's spiralling welfare bill.

It comes as Chancellor Rachel Reeves strug-gles to find cash ahead of the Spring Statement.

But pushback from both MPs and Cabinet ministers is now forcing a rethink by Sir Keir and Ms Reeves, it was said.

Yesterday, Wes Streeting refused to rule out a change of policy, but insisted that the cost of benefits for those out of work was too high.

The Health Secretary said: "We have now got one in eight young people in this country out of work.

"One thousand people every day are signing on to personal independence payments.

"Over the course of a year, that's the size of the city of Manchester.

Tinkering