Term ‘disabled’ in danger of losing all meaning, says Badenoch
The leader of the Conservatives, Kemi Badenoch, has said she does not believe one in four people are disabled and the term is in danger of losing its meaning, as she used a speech to criticise the size of the welfare state,Badenoch called for restrictions on disability benefits for those suffering conditions including food intolerances, anxiety and mild depression,She made the speech at the Centre for Social Justice a week after Keir Starmer’s government scaled back the extent of its cuts to disability benefits in the face of a huge revolt from backbench Labour MPs and disability rights groups,The backlash continues, with charities saying “huge swathes” of severely disabled people would be affected by the planned universal credit cuts,However, Badenoch said the cuts do not go far enough, with the Conservatives having tabled proposals to stop sickness benefits going to foreign nationals.
“We now live in a country where one in four people self-report as disabled, and people are receiving disability benefits for having tennis elbow,I know some may disagree with me, but I do not believe that one in four of us can be considered disabled without the term losing all meaning,” she said,She said Britain “clearly cannot afford to support one in four people who now classify themselves as disabled”,“We are going to have to draw a line in the sand about which conditions the state gives out support for,” she said,“Food intolerances are a medical fact, but they’re not something we should be handing out new cars for.
That is not a joke.This actually happens.“And anxiety and mild depression are real conditions but that doesn’t mean those suffering should be signed off work courtesy of the taxpayer.”Badenoch’s claims appear to be based on recent information from parliamentary question based on NHS data, which listed food intolerance as a condition that had qualified some people for Motability paid by personal independence payment (Pip) but the numbers involved were extremely small.The Conservative leader also said she thought young people do not appreciate the value of work and suggested the UK needed to get a stronger work ethic.
“You need to go out, get a job, look after yourself and look after your family, should be the default position,” she said.She said the Centre for Social Justice thinktank had published a report saying restricting disability benefits for some conditions could save £9bn, which would be used to fund better treatment for people with mental health difficulties.After the speech, Badenoch also came under fire for failing to commit to the triple lock for pensions in future which guarantees an increase of whatever is highest – earnings, inflation, or 2.5%.She said that it was Tory policy to support the triple lock for pensions but also that she was focusing on policy “right now”, and she did not say it would still be Conservative policy by the time of the next election.
Labour responded by claiming that Badenoch has “put pensioners on notice: the Tories want to slash the state pension for 11 million people”.However, Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, suggested separately on Thursday that welfare for working-age people should be cut before the state pension.“So I think if we’re going to look for savings, it is better to concentrate on the working-age population.The welfare bill, as we know, is heading to £100bn by 2030 so I think it’s right that is the place to look first,” he said.Both Badenoch and Philp dismissed the idea that their party had been damaged by this week’s defection of the former Conservative chair Jake Berry to Nigel Farage’s Reform party.
Badenoch called it “banana republic” politics, while Philp said it was “not going to change the political weather in any way”.
My age makes it very difficult to win grand slams, admits beaten Djokovic
Novak Djokovic said he must accept the reality that his ageing body continues to make it extremely difficult for him to win another grand slam title after struggling physically in his emphatic defeat by the world No 1, Jannik Sinner, in the semi-finals of Wimbledon on Friday.A month after suffering a straight sets defeat by Sinner in the semi-finals of the French Open, Djokovic was subjected to an even more one-sided 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 defeat by an imperious Sinner. The 38-year-old moved sluggishly throughout and he took a medical timeout after losing the second set.“I don’t think it’s bad fortune,” said Djokovic. “It’s just age, the wear and tear of the body
Wimbledon 2025 semi-finals: Sinner destroys Djokovic, Alcaraz beats Fritz – as it happened
Right, that’s it from us for today. Many thanks for your company. I’ll be back tomorrow for the women’s final between Iga Swiatek and Amanda Anisimova, while Daniel will return on Sunday for Jannik Sinner v Carlos Alcaraz part XIII. Make sure you join us then. Bye!Here’s Tumaini’s match report:When Novak Djokovic strode on to Centre Court for a second contest with Jannik Sinner in barely over a month, the narrative had long been set
Second act of English cricket’s great hope Jofra Archer starts with a bang | Andy Bull
Fast bower must have wondered if this moment would ever come but he is back and taking Test wickets againHalf-two in the afternoon and it’s slow going at the bars, stalls and stands around the Nursery Ground. The waitresses are chopping lemons and wiping down the counters, one of the two men in the ice-cream truck is having a breather in the front seat and the other is staring out his window into the middle distance.The next drink can wait, so can that trip to the toilets brought on by the last one. Everyone’s attention is fixed on one thing. It has been four years, four months and 17 days, since anyone has seen Jofra Archer bowl in a Test match
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Ali’s report is in so it’s time to say goodbye. Rob Smyth and Jim Wallace will call the shots tomorrow.Get Sky back on: Jimmy Anderson is bowling to Jonny Bairstow in the Roses T20.Here are some pretty mad numbers on Joe Root. Since the start of 2021, he has 5,396 Test runs at an average of 55
Jasprit Bumrah marvels for India with next level showing to dismantle top order | Barney Ronay
Jasprit times call for Jasprit measures. Lord’s on a brutally hot July morning can feel like an assault on the senses, with its crush of pastel-shirted flesh, the walkways seething with food wafts, hamper-flash, ice-bucket envy.The home of cricket had at least immersed itself fully in the Red for Ruth charity on day two of this third Test, laying on an endless rolling field of red trouser cloth, every shade from faded salmon to screw-you scarlet on show. Admittedly it was like this on day one too. But you can never have enough charity
Archer and Bumrah make batters sweat as England and India toil on day two at Lord’s
The over rate was pathetic and the heat oppressive yet every spectator in Lord’s was transfixed. Nothing stirs the senses quite like high-quality pace bowling and so it proved here, be it the latest five-wicket display of Jasprit Bumrah’s mastery in the morning or Jofra Archer striking third ball on his comeback.Archer first, and a moment that will live long in the memory for both the player and his supporters in the stands. As India closed on 145 for three in reply to 387 all out, his figures read a tidy one for 22 from 10 overs. And yet the numbers told only part of the story, with that solitary wicket, one that stopped everyone in their tracks and triggered an eruption of noise around NW8, unquestionably the moment of the day
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