Susanna Reid Pinpoints 1 Thing That Could Fuel Voter Anger At Keir Starmer

Susanna Reid has warned Keir Starmer that he risks a voter backlash by cutting benefits while boosting defence spending.

The prime minister has confirmed that the military budget will increase from 2.3% to 2.5% of national income from 2027 amid mounting tensions over the war in Ukraine, paid for my slashing the amount spent on international aid.

Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall will also unveil plans to cut the welfare bill by up to £6 billion on Tuesday.

But on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg this morning, Reid said those policy decisions could land the PM in a fresh political crisis.

The Good Morning Britain presenter said: “There’s no doubt that [Keir Starmer] has developed a reputation as somebody who can operate very effectively on the international stage.

“But the thing is, if you ask people on the doorsteps, of course they want to back Ukraine but at what price?

“If the things that he’s flexing his muscles over at home – be it benefits or Personal Independence Payments for people – if it looks like he’s using cuts to welfare to pay for war, I’m not sure that’s going to be popular at all.”

Kuenssberg had earlier asked health secretary Wes Streeting: “As a Labour politician, did you get into politics in order to take money from some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in society?”

He replied: “We don’t want to take money from the poorest in society, we want to support people who are the poorest and most vulnerable to make sure they’ve got dignity, independence and great quality of life.”

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Wes Streeting Says NHS Is ‘Addicted To Overspending’ As He Confirms Job Cuts

Wes Streeting has said the NHS is “addicted to overspending” as he launched an attack on health bosses.

He said those in charge of the healthcare system assume “someone will come along to bail them out” when they blow their budgets.

His comments come as he suggested hundreds more government quangos could be axed following the abolition of NHS England.

Appearing on Sky News this morning, Streeting was asked by presenter Trevor Phillips: “Is it right that Jim Mackey, the head of NHS England, has written to local health boards demanding that they produce plans for a 50% reduction in their spending?”

Confirming the move, Streeting said there would be a “particular focus on management costs” to achieve that target.

He said: “Myself and Jim are confronting a financial planning round for the year ahead where systems returned financial plans to us that would have involved an overspend between £5 and £6 billion before the new financial year has even begun.

“I’m afraid this speaks to the culture that I identified before the general election where the NHS is addicted to overspending, is addicted to running up routine deficits, with the assumption that someone will come along to bail them out, in a way that, by the way, local councils would never be able to do.”

Phillips replied: “Are you saying that the apparatus of the NHS was basically wasting public money?”

Streeting said: “I think there’s definitely examples of waste and duplication and we’re going to go hard at it.

“Even if the public finances weren’t tight – and they are – I don’t think even in the good times it’s acceptable that taxpayers’ money is wasted, because the money you’re wasting could be spent on other public priorities or could be put back in the pockets of taxpayers.”

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\"The NHS is addicted to overspending\"

Health Secretary Wes Streeting confirms some integrated care boards have been asked to find 50% savings to stop \"waste and inefficiency\". pic.twitter.com/cbfQseG35k

— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 16, 2025

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“The NHS is addicted to overspending”

Health Secretary Wes Streeting confirms some integrated care boards have been asked to find 50% savings to stop “waste and inefficiency”. pic.twitter.com/cbfQseG35k

— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 16, 2025

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Streeting said he was committed to “slashing bloated bureaucracy”, suggesting many more health quangos could be axed.

“The abolition of NHS England – the world’s largest quango – is the beginning, not the end,” he said.

On the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, the health secretary admitted the effeiciency drive will see “significant” numbers of NHS workers lose their jobs.

He said: “I’m going after the bureaucracy, not the people who work in it.

“Of course, I can’t sugar coat the fact that there will be a significant number of job losses and we will want to make sure we are treating people fairly, supporting them properly through that process. And I’m not criticising them, but I’ve got to make sure the system is well set up.”

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