The claim is that Prime Minister Keir Starmer had an opportunity to cut benefits — specifically, that his government proposed welfare cuts and then reversed course ("U-turned") under pressure from his own MPs. Multiple reputable sources confirm this sequence of events: 1. **The government did propose benefit cuts.** The Starmer government introduced the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, which aimed to save approximately £5 billion a year by 2030 by changing eligibility criteria for disability and sickness benefits (BBC, Reuters, Guardian, AP). 2. **The government did U-turn.** After more than 120 Labour MPs signed an amendment that would have effectively killed the bill, Starmer offered major concessions — including protecting all existing PIP claimants and applying tougher rules only to new claimants. Reuters reported that the U-turns meant the reforms would "no longer save taxpayers any money." BBC described it as a "major U-turn" and "the third government U-turn in a month." 3. **The claim is verified by the BBC's own reporting on the speech itself.** The BBC article about Badenoch's speech at PMQs states: "Sir Keir was forced into a U-turn on planned benefit reforms by his backbench Labour MPs in June last year, with measures to reform some personal independence payments (Pip) shelved." So the Prime Minister did indeed have a proposed package of benefit cuts before him, and he chose (or was forced) to water them down significantly. The claim that he "had an opportunity to cut benefits" is accurate — he proposed cuts, the legislation was before Parliament, and he retreated from them under backbench pressure. **Sources:** - BBC News, "Keir Starmer u-turns on benefits changes after Labour backlash" — https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq6my6v81z4o - BBC News, "Badenoch accuses Starmer of 'giving up' on welfare reform" — https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgep3r9yg34o - The Guardian, "Starmer offers 'massive concessions' on welfare bill to Labour rebels" — https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/jun/26/starmer-offers-massive-concessions-on-welfare-bill-to-labour-rebels - Reuters, "U-turns wipe out UK welfare savings and strain budget, analysts warn" — https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/u-turns-wipe-out-uk-welfare-savings-strain-budget-analysts-warn-2025-07-02/ - AP News, "UK leader Starmer waters down planned welfare cuts after revolt in his Labour Party" — https://apnews.com/article/uk-starmer-welfare-cuts-uturn-de4ee8536d08d1d7e4336d33cb8e5a4e - The Independent, "Starmer caves in to Labour rebels on welfare cuts with £2bn concessions sparking tax rise fears" — https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/welfare-reforms-tax-rises-pip-starmer-labour-b2777862.html