By Kevin Hughes
Reform pledge to lift two-child cap as Labour U-turns on controversial policies
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has pledged to abolish the two-child benefit cap, a policy introduced by the Conservative government in 2017 that limits financial support to the first two children in a family. Farage argues that removing the cap would ease the financial burden on British families, stating, “We want to make having children a bit easier for British families.”
This announcement comes as the Labour government faces criticism over its own stance on the two-child cap. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has indicated that scrapping the cap is under consideration as part of efforts to reduce child poverty. She emphasized the moral imperative of addressing child poverty, noting that the societal costs of maintaining the cap are significant.
Labour’s position on welfare policies has been under scrutiny following a partial U-turn on winter fuel payments. Initially, the government had cut £1.5 billion from winter fuel allowances, affecting millions of pensioners. However, facing backlash from within the party and the public, Prime Minister Keir Starmer signaled a reversal, stating that more pensioners should be eligible for the payments.
Despite this reversal, critics argue that the move may be insufficient to regain public trust. Polling experts suggest that such U-turns could portray the government as indecisive, potentially undermining its credibility.
Right-leaning media has portrayed Farage as winning over the left amidst Labour panic, while left-leaning media are wary and critical of Farage’s announcement.
Reform pledge to lift two-child cap aims to make having children ‘a bit easier for British families’ says Farage; Leader says policy ‘not aimed at those who come into the country and suddenly decide to have a lot of children’
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