42 minutes | Monday, 17 March 2025
Keir Starmer says he has a "duty" to fix welfare - and has described the current benefits system as "unsustainable" and "indefensible". But many of his own backbenchers fear that the noble rhetoric is an attempt to mask little more than a savings drive, and the backlash is growing. Andy Burnham became the latest Labour figure to voice his concerns, and there are indications that the government is looking again at some of the harshest measures expected to be unveiled tomorrow. But is the PM right to be sounding the alarm on the rising welfare bill, if 1.8m more people are claiming sickness benefits than before the pandemic?Later, Donald Trump claims to have overturned Joe Biden's presidential pardons - a power not bestowed upon any occupant of the Oval Office. Is he stretching the US constitution to breaking point?Editor: Tom HughesExecutive Producer: Louis DegenhardtProducer: Natalie IndgeDigital Editor: Michaela WaltersSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon, Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalDigital Journalist: Michael BaggsDon’t forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/thenewsagentsThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/