Sir Keir Starmer is facing mounting discontent as the government prepares to announce changes to the welfare system. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall is to set out plans for reform on Tuesday. Ministers have been looking at the eligibility criteria around Personal Independence Payments (PIP). It comes after Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that there was an “over diagnosis” of mental health conditions. Speaking to the BBC’s Westminster Hour, the chief executive of Citizen’s Advice said the government was “pulling the quick and easy lever” by taking “money out of the system”. Several backbenchers have expressed frustration at a lack of communication from ministers. Initial reports had suggested PIP would not rise in line with inflation for a year, but ministers are now considering abandoning those plans after many usually loyal Labour MPs voiced strong opposition. After attending a private meeting of Labour MPs last week, one MP told the BBC that freezing PIP would be “unforgivable”.8497-30.
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