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Liz Kendall has announced wide-ranging reforms designed to tackle economic inactivity in the UK and warned that “under this Labour government, if you can work, you must work”.
The work and pensions secretary told MPs that the Get Britain Working white paper will bring forward “the biggest reforms to employment support in a generation”.
Ms Kendall said the UK was experiencing “an economic, but above all, social crisis” and that the paid for in the life chances “benefits bill for sickness and disability that is set to rise by £26bn by the end of this Parliament”.
She said the Tories had failed “to create good jobs” or deliver on the NHS and reform welfare.
Tory counterpart Helen Whately defended the previous Conservative government and said they “drove down unemployment and economic inactivity year after year”.
Earlier today, employment minister Alison McGovern said that some benefits claimants are “stealing from the state”.
Ms McGovern was on the media round discussing the government’s plans and said nobody should be claiming sickness benefit if they are not unwell.
She told Sky: “Unfortunately, people have stolen from the state, and we’re bringing forward proposals to deal with that.”
The final major reform announced by Ms Kendall is the plan to drive down economic inactivity due to ill health.
She said: “The health secretary (Wes Streeting) is already taking action to get people back to health and back to work with extra support to drive down waiting lists in the 20 NHS Trusts with the highest levels of economic activity”.
Joe Middleton26 November 2024 14:12
The work and pensions secretary said the second major reform is the new youth guarantee.
It will “bring together all the support for 18 to 21 year olds under the leadership of majors and local areas” so that all young people have access to training and education.
Joe Middleton26 November 2024 13:53
Ms Kendall thunders that “under this Labour government, if you can work, you must work”.
Unveiling a Youth Guarantee, Ms Kendall told the Commons: “This comes alongside our commitment to provide mental health support in every school, our work experience and careers advice offer, and our plans to reform the last government’s failed apprenticeship levy to give more young people the opportunities they deserve.
“But our new Youth Guarantee will go further, bringing together all the support for 18 to 21-year-olds under the leadership of mayors and local areas so all young people have access to education, training and employment opportunities, and so that no young person misses out.”
The minister announced eight Youth Guarantee “trailblazers” in the Liverpool City Region, West Midlands, Tees Valley, East Midlands, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, West of England, and two areas in Greater London, backed by £45 million.
She continued: “I can also announce a new national partnership to provide exciting opportunities for young people in sports, arts and culture, starting with some of Britain’s most iconic cultural and sporting organisations including the Premier League, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and Channel 4, building on the brilliant work they already do to inspire and engage the younger generation and get them on the pathway to success.”
Ms Kendall later said: “In return for these new opportunities, you have a responsibility to take them up, because being unemployed or lacking basic qualifications when you’re young can harm your job prospects and wages for the rest of your life, and that is not good enough for young people or for our country.”
Joe Middleton26 November 2024 13:50
Ms Kendall said the “benefits bill for sickness and disability is set to rise by £26bn by the end of this Parliament.
She said the Tories have failed “to create good jobs” or deliver on the NHS or reform welfare.
Joe Middleton26 November 2024 13:48
Ms Kendall told MPs that “nothing short of fundamental reform” is needed and that the employment rate has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, unlike our G7 counterparts.
She said a near 2.8 million people are out of work on long term sickness and almost 1 million young people not in education, employment or training.
(Parliament TV)
Joe Middleton26 November 2024 13:45
The work and pensions secretary is now announcing the wide-ranging reforms designed to tackle economic inactivity and deliver the government’s promise to bring more than two million people back into work.
Joe Middleton26 November 2024 13:42
Sir Keir Starmer risks a blow to his pledge to reset relations with the European Union after Brexit amid fears one of his key allies could be ousted in Friday’s elections in Ireland.
The Labour prime minister has built a strong personal rapport with the Irish leader Simon Harris since his election in July.
But a new poll for the Irish Times suggests Mr Harris’ Fine Gael has slumped from first to third place – after a gaffe which has been compared to Gordon Brown’s 2010 ‘bigoted woman’ comments.
Joe Middleton26 November 2024 13:37
Working with the 12 metro mayors, Labour has pledged to invest £15 million and devolve power to local areas to create work plans tailored to local needs.
The government says this will deliver “real employment opportunities for people who know their communities best.” Liverpool Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “Devolution is already making a huge difference to people’s lives in the Liverpool City Region.
“We’ve helped thousands of people into work, created opportunities for young people through apprenticeships, and supported adults to gain the skills they need to thrive.
“That’s why I welcome the government’s plans to give Mayors more of the tools and resources we need to break down the barriers keeping people out of work.”
Albert Toth26 November 2024 13:23
Editorial: The already unpopular Starmer government will doubtless make more enemies during this process. But it needs to bite this bullet
Joe Middleton26 November 2024 13:15
Russia has expelled a British diplomat, accusing him of espionage, the Interfax news agency cited Russia’s FSB security service as saying on Tuesday.
The TASS news agency cited Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying that the ministry had summoned the British ambassador.
According to the FSB, the British diplomat was a replacement for one of six UK diplomats expelled in August, also on espionage charges. It said the diplomat had provided false information on his documents and carried out espionage and sabotage activities.
There was no immediate comment from Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The British embassy in Moscow did not respond to a request for comment.
Read our Ukraine blog for the latest
Joe Middleton26 November 2024 13:00