I'm John Batchew as Simon Constable, who does double duty for me.

He's the south of France, so he puts on his little beret and wanders around in the French

countryside. And then I pull him back in to talk about the United Kingdom in turmoil right now

because of a proposal by Secure Starrmer and his Chancellor of the Exchequer,

Ms. Reeves, to reduce the welfare payments monthly, weekly, in order to pay for what looks

to be a down payment for reestablishing the United Kingdom as a hard target. As someone who can contribute to a European

army, if there is to be one, certainly can defend itself and also participate in the defense

of Europe through NATO. Now, that is a worthy goal. It comes as a consequence of Europe

accepting the fact that America is going its own way

and that Europe needs to step up if there is to be any solution to the Ukrainian-Russian war.

However, the headline tells us a bit of the story.

This is Financial Times, the pink one.

Labor unveils disability benefit cuts that aim to save over $5 billion. Subhead move, risks, stoking biggest backbench

rebellion of Kirstarmers' premiership. Simon, I need to understand the opinion of the welfare payments by the population that does not receive them, but in fact affords them through their taxes, is the reduction of the welfare, and there's some specifics here, but this has to do with people who are not working at all because of disability or either illness or born disabled

or the results of the COVID pandemic. Is there an understanding that welfare is a good thing

for the Commonwealth? Is it resented? Is it seen as inhibiting the growth of the United Kingdom?

What's a general opinion? Well, the general opinion is it would be great to get as many people as possible back to work

as soon as possible to contribute to the economy and to earn some money for themselves and to pay some taxes,

hopefully.

However, when it comes to disability benefits, people who are genuinely disabled and cannot work

or need a lot of help to do the work, then that's somehow how it seems a little unfair

in general in the UK.

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