Haigh refuses to say when Labour will ‘get welfare bill down’

Andy Burnham’s deputy Louise Haigh refused to say when Labour will “get the welfare bill down” while adding the government would aim to “invest in success” when asked whether more taxes would cover increases in the benefits bill.  Haigh, who is referred to as the Prime Minister’s “enforcer” and stood in for Deputy Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, batted away the Conservatives’ questions about the welfare bill. When asked by her opposite number Alex Burghart about whether she could rule out tax rises to cover a rise in working-age benefits spending, Haigh said: “We have been repeatedly clear that we cannot afford to pay for failure and must invest in success – and that is how we will bring the welfare bill down. “We will make support more conditional on taking up opportunities, ensuring young people get help they need earlier, tackling the long-term drivers of welfare spending, including high housing costs, and we will do all this in a Labour way.” Burghart accused