Starmer says he was 'heavily focused' on world affairs before U-turn on benefits cuts

Sir Keir Starmer has said helium was "heavily focused" connected satellite affairs earlier helium was forced to U-turn connected his payment measure aft rebellion by MPs.

In a portion successful The Sunday Times, Sir Keir said helium was occupied with the G7 and NATO summits and the escalating tensions successful the Middle East for overmuch of the past 2 weeks.

His "full attraction truly bore down" connected the payment measure connected Thursday, helium added.

It comes aft the authorities was forced to U-turn connected plans to chopped sickness and disablement benefits aft important rebellion by Labour MPs earlier this week.

The authorities has since offered concessions up of a ballot successful the Commons connected Tuesday, including exempting existing Personal Independence Payment claimants (PIP) from the stricter caller criteria, portion the cosmopolitan recognition wellness top-up volition lone beryllium chopped and frozen for caller applications.

Sir Keir defended the U-turn by saying: "Getting it close is much important than ploughing connected with a bundle which doesn't needfully execute the desired outcome."

He said each the decisions were his and that "I instrumentality ownership of them".

There person been reports that rebel MPs blamed Sir Keir's main of unit Morgan McSweeney for the government's approach.

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Sir Keir said: "My regularisation of enactment is, erstwhile things spell good you get the plaudits; erstwhile things don't spell good you transportation the can.

"I instrumentality work for each the decisions made by this government. I bash not speech astir unit and I'd overmuch similar it if everybody other didn't."

Sir Keir said connected Saturday that fixing the UK's payment strategy is a "moral imperative".

Speaking astatine Welsh Labour's yearly league successful Llandudno, North Wales, Sir Keir said: "Everyone agrees that our payment strategy is broken, failing radical each day.

"Fixing it is simply a motivation imperative, but we request to bash it successful a Labour way, conference, and we will."