UK politics live: Badenoch blasts Starmer and Farage in benefits row as Rayner gives winter fuel U-turn update

Angela Rayner has suggested details on when winter fuel payments could be restored to more pensioners could be announced within a few weeks

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer signalled a partial U-turn on restricting winter fuel payments earlier this week (Thomas Krych/PA) (PA Wire)

Kemi Badenoch has blasted Keir Starmer and Nigel Farage for making promises they “can’t deliver” if they pledge to scrap the two-child benefit cap.

Taking aim at the Reform leader amid reports he’s planning to outflank the prime minister on benefits by committing to restoring winter fuel payments and scrapping the two-child benefit cap, she said: "He's making the same mistake that Keir Starmer made of making promises, and then they'll get into government and can't deliver it."

The Conservative leader insisted “we cannot afford to scrap it”, adding: “Nigel Farage and Keir Starmer are just saying things to please people.”

It comes as Sir Keir is also said to be privately considering scrapping the two-child benefit cap in bid to reduce child poverty, in a move that would cost the Treasury £3.5bn a year.

Such a move would mark the second major welfare U-turn after last week’s reversal on the winter fuel allowance policy. With Labour MPs threatening to rebel over a wide-ranging package of welfare reforms, the Observer has reported that the prime minister has made it clear to his Cabinet that he wants the cap to be abolished.

It came as Angela Rayner piled pressure on Sir Keir by suggesting details on when winter fuel payments could be restored to more pensioners could come to light within a few weeks.

The deputy prime minister indicated the Spending Review by chancellor Rachel Reeves on 11 June could be when an announcement is made on winter fuel.

Key Points

• Keir Starmer gears up to 'scrap two child benefit cap'
• Nigel Farage would bring back winter fuel payments
• Inquiry underway into how Angela Rayner memo was leaked
• Starmer and Farage ‘just saying things to please people’, Badenoch claims
• Angela Rayner says she ‘never’ wants to be Prime Minister or Labour leader

[25 May 2025 09:47 · Holly Evans]

Tory leader says winter fuel payments should not be given to millionaires

The Conservative leader said winter fuel payments should be protected for vulnerable people but withdrawn from millionaires.

Speaking on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on Sky News, Kemi Badenoch said: “We voted against the winter fuel allowance – we said he should not have done that.”

“Millionaires should not get the winter fuel payment – that is not right. But we shouldn’t be taking them away from those who end up below the breadline.”

She said the Government must focus on a system that ensures targeted support: “What we need is a system that makes sure that all of those people who need it, get it.”

[25 May 2025 09:42 · Holly Evans]

Badenoch says Starmer is 'not honest' and damaging economy

Pressed by Phillips on whether limiting child-related benefits to two children is fair, Badenoch replied: “I think that is right, that is fair.”

She said: “Nigel Farage and Keir Starmer are just saying things to people – they’re not doing what is right.

“I am saying what is the right thing to do – it may not be popular, but it is absolutely the right thing to do.”

“As far as I can tell, that’s where Keir Starmer was about a year ago. He removed the whip from seven MPs who voted against it. Now he’s changing his mind.

“This is a Prime Minister who is not honest, who doesn’t have a plan, is confused, is making everything worse and is damaging our economy – and this will just be the latest in a long line of decisions.”

“The worse our economy gets, the poorer we will become – and then we won’t be able to afford any benefits at all.”

[25 May 2025 09:38 · Holly Evans]

Angela Rayner blasts leadership rumours: I don’t want to be leader of the Labour Party

Angela Rayner has shut down growing rumours that she is seeking to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the leadership of the Labour Party, saying she doesn’t want to lead the party.

Sir Keir’s deputy categorically ruled out holding the position at any point in the future, despite a growing belief within Labour that she would be the most likely successor as the prime minister battles plummeting approval ratings following brutal results at the local elections.

It comes after The Independent revealed that a large number of MPs from the so-called “soft left” of the party are organising to try to force a change of direction, with allies of Ms Rayner urging her to organise a leadership contest.

Read the full article here from political correspondent Millie Cooke:

[25 May 2025 09:33 · Holly Evans]

Kemi Badenoch says scrapping two-child benefit would 'send wrong signal'

Kemi Badenoch has defended the two-child benefit cap, insisting it is “the right thing to do”.

Appearing on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on Sky News, the Conservative leader said the policy had been introduced in “better economic times than we have now” and scrapping it would send “the wrong signal”.

“The child benefit cap is reasonable,” she said. “It is the right thing to do and we want people to know that we can manage the economy properly – that’s what the Government should be doing. I don’t think it is right to scrap it.”

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has defended the two-child benefit cap (Chris Radburn/PA) (PA Wire)

Ms Badenoch said the UK’s welfare bill was unsustainable, warning that the Government is spending more than £100 billion a year on debt interest.

“We are borrowing to pay welfare,” she said. “We are now spending more on paying off the interest on debt than we are on education. This is not sustainable.”

“I’m going to tell the truth and be the person who is being honest with the public. People know that the two-child benefit (cap) is there for a good reason and there are many people out there who will say, if you can’t afford to have lots of children then you shouldn’t do so. You shouldn’t have to rely on benefits to have your children – but we do have a humane system.”

[25 May 2025 09:28 · Holly Evans]

Keir Starmer considering scrapping two child benefit cap

Sir Keir Starmer is said to be considering scrapping the two child benefit cap, in what would be his second U-turn following months of pressure over Labour’s approach to benefits.

While Downing Street has previously said there is “no one silver bullet to tackle child poverty” when pressed on whether the government would scrap the cap, sources have now told The Observer that the prime minister thinks ending it is the right thing to do.

It comes less than a week after the prime minister announced plans to row back on last year’s controversial winter fuel cut, telling the Commons he would look at increasing the thresholds at which people start to receive the benefit.

Sir Keir’s reported shift in position on the two child benefit cap was revealed just hours after it emerged that Nigel Farage is preparing to outflank him on benefits by committing to scrapping the cap and fully reinstating the winter fuel payment – piling pressure on the prime minister to do the same.

[25 May 2025 09:24 · Holly Evans]

Inside Labour plot to oust Keir Starmer as PM is given 12 months to turn things around

On Wednesday, Sir Keir Starmer took everyone by surprise when he suddenly announced a U-turn on Labour’s controversial winter fuel payment cuts.

The response to what appeared to be a planted question from a loyal backbencher during Prime Minister’s Questions certainly wrong-footed Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and meant that Labour MPs left the chamber with smiles on their faces.

But the shock move came as Sir Keir was having to act to shore up power with MPs, senior party figures and trade unionists who have been openly plotting to remove him.

Read the special report from our political editor David Maddox here:

[25 May 2025 09:22 · Holly Evans]

Nigel Farage 'doesn't know' how to pay for winter fuel payments, Rayner says

Nigel Farage does not know how he would pay for scrapping the two-child benefit cap and restoring the winter fuel payment to all pensioners, Angela Rayner has suggested.

Asked about the Reform UK leader’s claims on both welfare measures, the Deputy Prime Minister told Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “Nigel Farage comes up with lots of ideas, they’re not necessarily good ideas, and he doesn’t know how he’s going to pay for them.”

Lifting the cap “might be a signal, but it’s not a silver bullet”, Ms Rayner added.

She told Sky News: “It’s not going to alleviate the levels of child poverty. There is a number of factors: people’s wages not increasing, their employment being insecure, their cost-of-living crisis that we face, their bills going up, and their housing costs have gone up.

“So it’s not one particular element that is going to safeguard people from the poverty we’ve seen after 14 years of the Conservatives.

“But I do know that having a good job that pays well allows you to open doors and opportunities for you to have a family and to do well in life.”

[25 May 2025 09:20 · Holly Evans]

Angela Rayner rules out being prime minister

Angela Rayner said she was “absolutely not” behind a leaked memo, and ruled out being prime minister.

The deputy prime minister was asked by Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips to dispel suggestions she may have been behind the leak of a memo to the chancellor, in order to grow support for a future leadership bid.

She replied: “Yeah, absolutely not, and I don’t want to be leader of the Labour Party.”

Pressed on this, she added: “No, I’m very happy and honoured to be deputy prime minister of this country, and I’ve got a lot in my in-tray to prove that I can do the job that I’m doing and deliver on the milestones for the people of this country.

“That’s what I’m interested in.”

Asked to say the word never, she replied: “Never.”

Angela Rayner has ruled out becoming a future leader of the Labour Party (Getty)

[25 May 2025 09:17 · Holly Evans]

Nigel Farage would bring back winter fuel payments

Nigel Farage will commit to restoring the winter fuel payment to all pensioners and to scrapping the two-child benefit cap, reports have suggested.

The Reform UK leader is expected to appeal to left-wing voters with the moves in a speech next week, according to the Sunday Telegraph.

The newspaper said Mr Farage will describe Sir Keir Starmer as “one of the most unpatriotic prime ministers in our history and this past week has been evidence of that”, in his first speech since Reform made large gains in the local elections.

Reform UK is riding high in the opinion polls after its victories in town halls and the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, according to YouGov.

A Reform source told the newspaper: “We’re against the two-child cap and we’d go further on winter fuel by bringing the payment back for everyone.

“That’s already outflanking Labour.”

Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party is hoping to appeal to left-wing voters (PA) (PA Wire)

[25 May 2025 09:12 · Holly Evans]

Inquiry underway into how Angela Rayner memo was leaked

An inquiry is “under way” into how a memo from Angela Rayner to Chancellor Rachel Reeves was leaked, the Deputy Prime Minister suggested.

Asked by Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips if a probe would be launched into how the memo was leaked, Ms Rayner said: “I think there’s one under way, and quite rightly so, because leaks are very damaging.

“It’s really damaging, because we have lots of sensitive conversations in the round, all of us, and then we make a collective decision.”

The Deputy PM would not be drawn into saying whether she wanted to see taxes raised, as the memo suggested was needed.

She told Sky News: “As a matter of principle, I will continue to have those conversations with our Government on how we can bring down the cost of living for working people, support children out of poverty, build the houses we said we’re going to do and protect our borders and security.”