PM fails to back tearful Reeves after welfare chaos

PoliticsBusiness & Finance
3 Jul 2025 • 5:58 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • A chaotic Prime Minister's Questions saw Rachel Reeves appear distressed as the government faced a damaging rebellion over welfare cuts.
  • The prime minister refused to rule out new taxes to address a £5bn funding gap resulting from welfare U-turns, intensifying pressure for cabinet changes.
  • Rachel Reeves' emotional state at PMQs led to questions about her future, which Sir Keir Starmer avoided, though Downing Street cited a personal matter or an altercation with the Speaker.
  • The Institute for Fiscal Studies revealed that welfare reforms would cost money, not save it, causing unease in bond markets and a drop in the pound's value.
  • Calls for a wealth tax are growing, with support from within the cabinet and the Trades Union Congress, as a potential solution to the financial shortfall.

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