Keir Starmer has caved to Labour rebels and ruled out reforming Britain’s welfare system. This would make it increasingly unlikely that any contentious welfare reforms will be implemented before the next general election, currently expected in 2029. Senior Labour figures have privately acknowledged the political difficulty of pressing ahead on any attempt to rein in welfare spending. Official forecasts show total welfare spending is set to reach £368billion by the end of the decade, with disability benefit claims rising sharply. Downing Street insisted that welfare reform remained a priority and could still be legislated for later in the parliamentary session.