By Christopher McKeon
Sir Keir Starmer has taken responsibility for the U-turn on welfare reforms, saying his Government did not 鈥済et the process right鈥 as he gave his full backing to his Chancellor.
Speaking to the BBC in his first interview since a threatened backbench revolt forced him to strip out a major part of his welfare reform plan, he acknowledged the past few days had been 鈥渢ough鈥.
He said: 鈥淟abour MPs are absolutely vested in this. It matters to them to get things like this right, and we didn鈥檛 get that process right. We didn鈥檛 engage in the way that we should have done.鈥
But he insisted his Government would 鈥渃ome through it stronger鈥 as he vowed to 鈥渞eflect鈥 on what needed to be done 鈥渢o ensure we don鈥檛 get into a situation like that again鈥.
Sir Keir also gave his full support to Chancellor Rachel Reeves after she was seen crying during Prime Minister鈥檚 Questions on Wednesday.
Ms Reeves鈥檚 visibly tearful appearance in the Commons came amid speculation that her job was at risk after the welfare U-turn put an almost 拢5 billion hole in her spending plans.
But the Prime Minister insisted her appearance had 鈥渘othing to do with politics, nothing to do with what鈥檚 happened this week鈥 and was 鈥渁 personal matter鈥.
Asked if she would remain in her post, he said: 鈥淪he will be Chancellor for a very long time to come, because this project that we鈥檝e been working on to change the Labour Party, to win the election, change the country, that is a project which the Chancellor and I鈥檝e been working on together.鈥
On Thursday morning, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said Ms Reeves would 鈥渂ounce back鈥 as he praised her 鈥渓eadership鈥 on the economy.
He also dismissed a suggestion that Sir Keir himself could be at risk, telling Sky News: 鈥淜eir Starmer has been consistently underestimated.
鈥淚 wonder when people will learn. They said he couldn鈥檛 win the Labour leadership, but he did. They said he couldn鈥檛 change the Labour Party, but he did. They said he couldn鈥檛 take the Labour Party from its worst defeat since the 1930s to election victory last year, and he did.
鈥淎nd now the cynics say he can鈥檛 change the country, but he will.鈥
But Conservative shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride said the scenes in the Commons over the past week had left bond markets 鈥渢witchy鈥 about the Government and 鈥渢heir ability to actually grip things like spending going forward鈥.
Appearing on BBC Breakfast, Sir Mel appeared to distance himself from Robert Jenrick, who had earlier posted a video on social media describing Ms Reeves鈥檚 career as 鈥渄ead鈥.
But he added that Mr Jenrick was making a 鈥渧alid鈥 point that the Government had 鈥渓ost control of the economy鈥, laying the blame with the Chancellor and Sir Keir and warning of tax rises to come.