Questions mount over government’s handling of welfare bill – Watch Thursday’s ITV News at Ten LIVE
The prime minister says the government is working ‘flat out’ to reduce the ever-increasing welfare spending after his Chancellor faced criticism following yesterday’s budget.
The Treasury pushed back against media interpretations of John Healey’s comments that he wanted the bill to start falling before the next election.
The Chancellor later said there was no “timetable” for bringing down the cost of welfare.
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) warned that sickness and disability benefits could cost £100 billion a year before the end of the decade.
Think tanks gave a similarly grim warning with the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) calling the UK’s growth outlook “depressing”.
Also on the programme:
– Spain’s government has declared three days of mourning after the country’s second high-speed rail disaster this year killed at least 69 people.
– The Metropolitan Police has referred itself to the police watchdog after failing to pass on a letter detailing allegations against the Duchess of Sussex’s father to relevant overseas law enforcement.
– Legendary actor Sir Patrick Stewart, known for Star Trek and X-Men, has died at the age of 86.
– King Charles has landed in Guyana as part of his latest tour clouded by controversy over Britain’s part in the slave trade.
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