[Abernathy]

I think we need more detail. Doubtless Liz Kendall is working on it now.

[The Weeping Angel]

I don't see how the sort of cuts being talked about now are consistent with reforming and improving.

Has anything new bern announced?

[The Weeping Angel]

I don't see how the sort of cuts being talked about now are consistent with reforming and improving.

Has anything new been announced?

[Tubby Isaacs]

We do, and if she was able to take her time, I think she could do a good job. But it seems clear that cuts are being made immediately.

[The Weeping Angel]

I don't see how the sort of cuts being talked about now are consistent with reforming and improving.

Has anything new been announced?

[Tubby Isaacs]

I don't see how the sort of cuts being talked about now are consistent with reforming and improving.

Has anything new bern announced?

This looks like a leak.

https://www.itv.com/news/2025-03-07/gov ... s-shake-up

£6bn is the saving by the end of the decade, I see. But then there's talk of big changes to PIP now, which sounds very dodgy.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I agree with this.

Louise Murphy, Senior Economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: "This package combines sensible reforms to incentivise and support people with poor health back towards work, with hugely controversial cuts to non-work-related disability benefits.

"Freezing PIP next year will result in a real-terms income loss for around four million people, 70 per cent of whom are in low-to-middle income households. The scale of eligibility restrictions required to save £5 billion will change who the Government considers to be disabled. It must tread very carefully on this."

[The Weeping Angel]

I don't see how the sort of cuts being talked about now are consistent with reforming and improving.

Has anything new bern announced?

This looks like a leak.

https://www.itv.com/news/2025-03-07/gov ... s-shake-up

£6bn is the saving by the end of the decade, I see. But then there's talk of big changes to PIP now, which sounds very dodgy.

Ah I've seen people say it's a trial balloon. If it was leaked who leaked it and why?

[Tubby Isaacs]

Assume somebody close to the government leaked it in that case. I think that would be bad because of the anxiety is causes.

[kreuzberger]

There are real challenges ahead for the neediest in their forced quest for employment, and who are unlikely to be the first-choice candidates for employers. Moreover, the long-covid cohort ain't going to be laying bricks any time soon. There are, however, reasonably round unemployed pegs for reasonably round holes, and the German approach is to fund these jobs to the tune of 50% for the first 12 months. That rises to two years for the over-50s.

That means no dole is paid and, with an average tax load of around 40% plus employers' contributions, much of what the state contributes is clawed back. The words "no" and "brainer" spring to mind.

In related but less comforting news, Germany is also shit-scared of taxing people who have more sprawling wealth than they know what to do with.

[Abernathy]

We do, and if she was able to take her time, I think she could do a good job. But it seems clear that cuts are being made immediately.

Well we’ll see what Rachel Reeves announces in the Comprehensive Spending Review in June, though there will be a statement before that, called the “spring forecast” due on 26 March. It will address the feedback from the Office of Budget Responsibility.

[The Weeping Angel]

I agree I don't like the way it's been handled. On blue sky Stephen Bush said this and employment rights were an example of the lack of direction at the heart of govt.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Wouldn't say there's a lack of direction. It's to promote employment, but at what might turn out to be to high a human cost.

[Tubby Isaacs]

We do, and if she was able to take her time, I think she could do a good job. But it seems clear that cuts are being made immediately.

Well we’ll see what Rachel Reeves announces in the Comprehensive Spending Review in June, though there will be a statement before that, called the “spring forecast” due on 26 March. It will address the feedback from the Office of Budget Responsibility.

Yep, this is the timetable, and with a green paper to come before the spring forecast.

[Samanfur]

Neurodiversity Labour has formally voiced its disapproval, and there seem to be quite a few Disability Labour members cancelling their direct debits, although the organisation hasn't responded yet.

[The Weeping Angel]

They've scrapped NHS England.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Good. The start of reversing the Lansley 'reforms'.

In a speech about reshaping the state, Starmer said NHS England would be abolished to “cut bureaucracy” and bring management of the health service “back into democratic control”.

He said the move would free up cash for doctors, nurses and frontline services, and cut red tape to help speed up improvements in the NHS, with the government aiming to slash waiting lists by the next election.

Wes Streeting, the health secretary, has already presided over plans to reduce the size of NHS England by half, and its chief executive, Amanda Pritchard, is leaving at the end of the month.

Streeting said on Thursday that the government was “abolishing the biggest quango in the world” by getting rid of NHS England. Its functions would be taken into the Department of Health.

[Abernathy]

Great news indeed. Long overdue. Lansley’s needless buggering about has fucked up the NHS for years.

[Abernathy]

Chrstine McAnea has a good point , certainly that the announcement could have been handled better, as you’d expect from a TU representative, but I’d expect NHS staff affected to be properly redeployed and/or compensated.

https://labourlist.org/2025/03/labour- ... OTTGKf_MJA


Union backlash as Starmer vows ‘flabby’ state reform and axes NHS England

[Rosvanian]

Chrstine McAnea has a good point , certainly that the announcement could have been handled better, as you’d expect from a TU representative, but I’d expect NHS staff affected to be properly redeployed and/or compensated.

https://labourlist.org/2025/03/labour- ... OTTGKf_MJA


Union backlash as Starmer vows ‘flabby’ state reform and axes NHS England

Of course they will and I'll be surprised and disappointed if there's many compulsory redundancies. Meanwhile, of course, over on Mail Online, readers are baying for blood and would love to see thousands of people made redundant and put on display so they can laugh and hurl abuse at them.