Ashley Cowburn

Sunday’s @mirror.co.uk front page

Kinnock says the Tories left the country in a state "that would make Charles Dickens furious".

Ending the two-child benefit limit would be the "immediate and direct way of trying to correct the conditions the government inherited," he adds

'Scrap Tory two-child benefit limit to lift kids out poverty' In an interview with The Mirror, the former Labour leader Neil Kinnock said the Tories had left the country in a state that would 'make Charles Dickens furious' with 'intolerable' hardship

Exclusive: Neil Kinnock says the two-child benefit limit should be scrapped to lift kids out of poverty

Former Labour leader says it could be paid for by a tax on assets of the super-rich or extra levies on the top 1%

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Inside Labour's benefits rebellion as Keir Starmer faces biggest revolt yet One MP told The Mirror of those previously wavering on a key benefits vote: 'A lot of people have now decided they are more frightened of the voters than they are of the whips'

Inside Labour's benefits rebellion as Keir Starmer faces biggest revolt yet.

"A lot of people have now decided they are more frightened of the voters than they are of the whips," one MP said.

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Some parish news — delighted to be promoted today to Deputy Political Editor at The Mirror 🎉

Really classy Daily Mirror front page on the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

This Philip Zec celebrated cartoon was in the paper on this day in 1945

Front page of @DailyMirror on May 8, 1945 - 80 years ago today.

Prime Minister rules out U-turn on winter fuel cut for millions of pensioners Labour MPs said last week the controversial cut to winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners was raised on the doorstep by voters at the local elections as anger mounts

Breaking: Downing Street rules out U-turn on winter fuel payment cut for millions of pensioners

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

NEW: Andy Burnham suggests at @resfoundation.bsky.social event the government should introduce a target for new social homes of at least half a million by the end of the decade.

He says it would help "end the housing crisis" and prevent kids from having to put up with "damp and mould"

Single mum Carly Newman used to be employed part-time and received Universal Credit to top up her income. One day she found her claim had been cancelled - leaving her struggling to pay rent.

Here’s what she told me of the welfare system

John Stainton was diagnosed with MS at the age of 60 - but faced a 15-month wait and an appeal process to get the PIP he was entitled to.

The former MoD civil servant, who was awarded an OBE for his work in Afghanistan, says the DWP needs to treat people with more compassion.

DWP claimants give verdict on welfare system - 'You're not treated as human' Amnesty International's new research, which involves interviews with hundreds of people on benefits, claims the current welfare system is 'consciously cruel' and ruining lives

Benefit claimants give verdict on welfare system - 'You're not treated as human’

@DailyMirror spoke to some people about their experience of Universal Credit/PIP benefits

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

DWP claimants give verdict on welfare system - 'You're not treated as human' Amnesty International's new research, which involves interviews with hundreds of people on benefits, claims the current welfare system is 'consciously cruel' and ruining lives

Benefit claimants give verdict on welfare system - 'You're not treated as human’

@DailyMirror spoke to some people about their experience of Universal Credit/PIP benefits

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

'Reform UK may have just enough support to win hundreds of seats from Tories' Sir John Curtice - of the country's top elections experts - writes in The Mirror the Tories 'have the most to lose' when voters head to ballot box in next week's local elections

Elections guru John Curtice writes for The Mirror ahead of next week’s local elections

He suggests the Tories face losing hundreds of seats — they have the “most to lose”.

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Starmer misses anniversary Hillsborough law deadline - 'huge disappointment' Keir Starmer promised to introduce a 'Hillsborough Law' by the 36th anniversary of the tragedy - but No10 insists more time is needed to create the 'best version' of the legislation

Keir Starmer has failed to meet his promise at last year's Lab conference in Liverpool to introduce a "Hillsborough Law" ahead of today's 36th anniversary of the tragedy.

No10 says more time is needed for best version of Bill.

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Nigel Farage to LBC on his pal Donald Trump's tariff chaos:

"I think Trump did too much too soon, rather like Liz Truss did a couple of years ago."

Liz Kendall admits it would be a 'failure' if child poverty is rising in 5 years The Work and Pensions Secretary told The Mirror child poverty "will be going down" - despite a grim official analysis of her department's welfare cuts

Exclusive: Liz Kendall admits it will be a personal failure if child poverty rates still rising at next election

"Child poverty will be going down," she says, despite warning 50k extra kids will be in poverty as a result of last week's benefit cuts

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Andy Burnham tells the Work and Pensions Committee: "Benefits policy in this country is too much - under all governments - been written to create headlines to please certain newspapers and not actually do the job of encouraging the recovery of people to a better position in their life."

Thursday’s @politics.mirror.co.uk front page

Stephen Fry and Stanley Tucci among stars demanding benefit cuts U-turn Former Strictly judge Dame Arlene Phillips said: 'Our social security system should be rooted in justice and compassion, able to be there for us all...cutting disability benefits is shameful'

Stephen Fry, Stanley Tucci, and Arlene Phillips among stars demanding benefit cuts U-turn

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Also suggests almost half (48.9%) of members believe Labour is heading in the wrong direction.

Interesting Cabinet league table of @LabourList readers, who say they are Labour members.

Miliband tops survey of most liked member of the Cabinet - with Rayner in second place.  

Starmer ranked 17th while Kendall and Reeves only ministers with unfavourable ratings.

NEW: Blackpool MP Chris Webb says PIP cuts will be a "devastating blow for many of my constituents who are already on the edge".

He adds: "I will never vote for anything that makes people in Blackpool poorer - and some of these reforms could do exactly that."

A Labour welfare revolt is still brewing As many as 40 of Keir Starmer’s MPs are threatening to rebel against benefit cuts.

Diane Abbott is far from the only Labour MP who believes there isn't a moral case for cutting benefits – opposition stretches well beyond the Socialist Campaign Group. www.newstatesman.com/politics/lab...

Labour MP Diane Abbott tells Starmer to drop the "moral" arguments for benefit cuts.

"There is nothing moral about cutting benefits for what may be up to a million people," she tells him.

"This is not about morality - this is about the Treasury's wish to balance the books" on the back of poorest.

Ministers have recently criticised speculation over benefit cuts as causing anxiety among claimants.

Today they have failed to produce an impact assessment alongside their proposed changes.

Instead, people will be forced to wait until next week's spring statement. Not sure that line will hold.

Labour MP Debbie Abrahams - chair of the Work and Pensions Committee - says she appreciates difficult financial situation.

*BUT* she warns benefit cuts are the largest cuts in social security since 2015 and warns ministers "not to balance the books" on the backs of sick and disabled.

He adds: "Cutting benefits will cause a surge in food bank use and lead to poverty levels last seen in the 1980s.

"... backbench Labour MPs must oppose these cuts and demand that ministers introduce a wealth tax to fund public services and pay."

FBU's Steve Wright urges Labour MPs to vote against cuts to disability benefits.

He says today: "The government's drastic cuts to disability and welfare benefits are a Thatcherite assault on the welfare state...

General Secretary of Unison, Christina McAnea, also warns: “If the government wants to cut welfare spending, the focus should be on making work pay. That means acting against employers paying poverty wages…

“Not penalising those who are, in many cases, are too ill or disabled to ever work."