Every political U-turn comes with its consequences.
This weekend made it evident that Sir Keir Starmer’s reversal on the cuts to winter fuel payments carries a political price.
An MP remarked in a text: “We all want to see more,” while former Prime Minister Gordon Brown described the two-child benefit cap as “quite discriminatory,” suggesting its potential repeal on Sky News this week.
Nigel Farage is anticipated to advocate for the elimination of the two-child benefit cap.
The cap, which restricts parents from obtaining child tax credit or universal credit for more than two children, remains a contentious issue for Labour, having led to the suspension of seven MPs last year.
It resurfaces now, potentially causing further discord.
A source from Downing Street indicates that little has shifted in the past week, with discussions about the cap being an integral part of the (now postponed) Child Poverty Strategy.
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However, this weekend revealed a noticeable change — increasing pressure from Nigel Farage.
We anticipate that Reform UK will announce this week its intent to restore winter fuel payments and eliminate the cap.
Mr. Farage is strategically positioning himself against Labour, seeking to win over working-class voters on sensitive issues for Mr. Starmer.
As for funding? The party proposes a mix of closing asylum hotels, reducing aid, and scrapping net-zero targets.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch
Attention-grabbing maneuver
The advantage of being outside of power is that immediate financial accountability is not required—it’s a bold announcement that will certainly rekindle discussions about the two-child cap.
It’s also a reminder that Reform UK, which lost to Labour in 89 out of 98 constituencies last year, is aiming beyond the Conservatives.
As for the Tories, who initiated this measure in 2017, leader Kemi Badenoch confidently stated: “If you can’t afford to have many children, you shouldn’t.”
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Distinct divisions between Tories and Reform UK
While there are clear distinctions between the Conservatives and Reform, it’s the current Prime Minister and his party that are in Nigel Farage’s crosshairs, while Labour’s stance remains murky.
Deputy leader Angela Rayner remarked on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips that “removing measures that reduce poverty is not a bad idea.”
More from Sky News:
PM’s winter fuel claim ‘not credible’
Starmer-Reeves Downing St ‘rift’
As the spending review approaches, Sir Keir and Chancellor Rachel Reeves will need to analyze the true cost, beyond the political implications, of reversing cuts to winter fuel payments.
But will the discontent among certain Labour MPs dissipate here, or will it lead to other contentious discussions?
As one MP succinctly stated: “If there’s funding for pensioners, why not for children?”