Kemi Badenoch unveils £36.1bn welfare reduction plan in Westminster
The work and pensions secretary presented a £36.1bn cut to the welfare budget to a cheering audience on 1 December 2026.
Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative shadow work and pensions secretary, announced a £36.1 billion reduction to the UK welfare budget during a Westminster briefing on Tuesday 1 December 2026, addressing a crowd that responded with whoops and cheers.
What cuts did Badenoch and Helen Whately propose?
They said the plan would trim £36.1 billion from the welfare bill, with a £0.1 billion buffer to show the figures were not arbitrary, according to The Guardian.
Who was in the audience and how did they react?
The Guardian reported that the audience, described as being of an age and wealth that had no better place to be at 10.30 am on a working day, gave whoops and cheers as Badenoch approached the lectern.
What did Badenoch say about specific groups?
Badenoch asserted that people who are terminally ill or past retirement age would continue to receive benefits, while she ruled out cuts for EU citizens with settled status, The Guardian noted.
This report is based on original reporting by The Guardian. Read the original source →
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