Helen Whately

Helen Whately

Conservative — Faversham and Mid Kent

Speaking in the House of Commons on 11 November 2026

Debate

Welfare

Contribution

The hon. Member asks “How?” from a sedentary position. I have our plan with me here and, if he will just listen, I will set it out. As I said, our reforms will save £36 billion. When the Prime Minister was asked about them, he said that they were just a number. He could not be more wrong. Savings are important, but reforming the welfare system is a good thing to do in its own right. We have not just plucked a big round number out of thin air; it takes hard graft to work out who should get support and what help they should get. It also involves saying who will not get benefits any more, which is not something that welfare party Members will ever have the courage to do.

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