UK’s Keir Starmer Eases Welfare Cuts in Blow to Budget, and His Authority

Keir Starmer agreed to pare back a divisive £5 billion ($6.9 billion) cut to welfare to quiet a rebellion by his own party, a decision that will likely leave both Britain’s fiscal plans and the prime minister’s own leadership in need of repair.

Starmer agreed on Thursday to soften the blow of a sweeping welfare overhaul meant to press more people back to work and off benefits, according to people familiar with the matter. He offered, among other things, to let hundreds of thousands of existing claimants receive benefits at their current level, said the people, who asked to be named while discussing plans that haven’t been publicly announced.