Why is the Government cutting benefits before gay porn studies?

Labour is missing some low-hanging fruit

Today Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall announced major cuts to the benefits system, in a bid to cut £5 billion from the welfare bill.

Kendall said the number of new people claiming personal independence payment (PIP) is “not sustainable” and that the Government would make it harder to qualify for the daily living allowance component (of PIP) from November 2026. More here.

Clearly the benefits system is a complete mess and one of many things bleeding Britain dry, with the UK forecast to spend £319.1 billion on the social security system in 2024-25. There’s no doubt that it needs a radical rethink and slimming down.

But I wonder if the Labour government could have picked on easier targets to make savings. Benefit cuts are controversial, and come with a real risk of harming vulnerable people, unfairly punished on behalf of others abusing the system.