Jeremy Corbyn has slammed Labour for going “further than even the Tories ever dared” following Rachel Reeves’ spring statement.
On Wednesday afternoon, Reeves delivered her spring statement, in which she confirmed new welfare cuts, just a week after Labour announced huge reform to the welfare system.
Among the announcements was that the government will be cutting the health element of universal credit – the payment designed to provide extra support for those with health conditions – by half for new claimants. This will then be frozen for the rest of this parliament.
The welfare cuts have since been condemned by one of the party’s former leaders, Jeremy Corbyn.
In a statement on X published by the Independent Alliance, Corbyn said that “ever since this Labour government was elected, they have chosen to balance the books off the backs of the poor.”
Corbyn accused the government of “robbing disabled people of security and dignity”, adding that they are being “dehumanised by a heartless government, one broken pledge at a time”.
He continued: “The government says there isn’t any money to help people. We don’t believe them. Having just announced an enormous increase in military spending, the government should be honest about what they really mean: no money for the poor, endless money for war.”
Describing the cuts as a continuation of Tory austerity, Corbyn said the government should “tax the super-rich to fix our public services and empower those in need” instead.
Government analysis shows 3.2m families will be hit by the welfare cuts by 2030, a much higher number than expected.
The Department for Work and Pensions estimates there will be an average loss of £1,720 per year for each family affected.
The numbers also show some 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, will be pushed into poverty because of the cuts.
Overall, the welfare reforms will save £3.4bn according to a forecast from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).
The Treasury had initially suggested the changes would save £5bn.
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