Kendall passes two key tests but is not out of minefield

The test for Liz Kendall was simple, according to one Labour insider. If the response to her statement is dominated by wheelchair users protesting that they will be worse off, she will have failed. If, on the other hand, the focus of the debate is about getting more people into work, she will have succeeded.

- J O H N R E N T O U L

It is early days yet, and these things have a tendency to contain hidden landmines in the technical rules, but the work and pensions secretary has already cleared two important hurdles.

One was the response in the House of Commons. The Conservatives said the welfare changes do not go far enough, even though they were in a position to do something about that only eight months ago. So the response that mattered was on the Labour side. A handful of Labour MPs were unhappy about the statement, but their tone was mostly muted.

Zarah Sultana was unmuted, but she has been suspended as a Labour MP. As I surveyed the succession of Labour backbenchers, most of them elected only eight months ago, rising to praise Kendall’s effort to get their constituents off benefits and into work, I marvelled at the work done by Morgan and the Two Matts on the selection of candidates.