Labour’s welfare turmoil intensified today after Andy Burnham rejected the prospect of “brutal cuts”, following the Chancellor’s embarrassing U-turn over plans to reduce the bill before the next election.

The Prime Minister maintained that he was “pioneering a new approach”, despite growing uncertainty over when the rapidly increasing costs could be brought under control.

John Healey alarmed aides in post-Budget interviews when he appeared to promise that benefits would be reduced before voters next went to the polls.

The Treasury was forced into a rapid retreat before Downing Street insisted there was no “arbitrary timetable” for achieving savings.

Speaking last night, Mr Healey appeared to completely soften his earlier stance, saying: “It is not correct to say that we’re going to bring this welfare bill down in this Parliament.”

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting added to the confusion during a round of broadcast interviews this morning, arguing that the Chancellor had not ruled out cuts before the election.

However, he indicated that the Government would need to move cautiously to avoid a Labour rebellion like the one that severely damaged keir Starmer.

In an ITV documentary marking his first 100 days in No10, Mr Burnham made another attempt to set out his welfare strategy.

“I don’t actually want to see anyone in their 20s on benefits. I just don’t think that’s a good place to be, unless people can’t be in work for reasons due to disability or whatever else it might be,” he said.

Asked how he intended to reduce the bill, the premier said: “You don’t make the saving just to go to brutal cuts, because if you just go to brutal cuts… you will leave people in absolute crisis and then they will be going into other services in a chaotic way.

“So I’m pioneering a different approach and, you know, I’m going to stick to my guns on it.”

The dispute comes as households are warned they could be more than £1,000 worse off over the next two years, with the energy crisis and Labour tax rises putting further pressure on family finances.

The Resolution Foundation made the estimate for working-age people’s disposable incomes in a bleak assessment of the Budget published yesterday.

The 2020s are now on course to become the worst decade for living standards since comparable records began in the 1960s.

Ruth Curtice, the foundation’s chief executive, described Chancellor John Healey’s Budget as “scattergun”, including a £100 reduction in energy bills for homes in lower council tax bands.

She warned that even households receiving support — alongside the continued suspension of the 5 per cent VAT on electricity costs — would pay more next year than they did during the last crisis in 2022.

Kemi Badenoch called it “astounding” that the Government could not promise to reduce benefits this decade, despite forecasts that welfare costs will increase by more than £60billion by 2029.

The Tory leader told the Daily Mail: ‘Labour is addicted to benefits and this is why they are getting into a mess every day.

‘In just 24 hours, the Chancellor has said there will be no cuts to the benefits bill, gone on the BBC and said actually there will, then had to admit that actually there won’t be.

‘All while officials scramble to clean up the chaos. It appears the Prime Minister’s ‘foot in mouth’ is contagious.’

Delivering his Budget on Wednesday, the Chancellor said the Government would ‘bring down the welfare bill’ but offered no new proposals to cut a bill that is forecast to top £350billion next year.

In interviews afterwards, Mr Healey was pressed repeatedly on what he would do about the issue and dismissed ‘crude cuts’.

‘I’ve said clearly, the Prime Minister said as well, we have to bring the benefits bill down,’ he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. 

Asked directly if there ‘will be cuts in welfare before the election’, the Chancellor replied: ‘There will be, there will be a reduction in the benefits bill.

‘We’ll do that in a Labour way and we will do that because it is simply not good for Britain or progressive to have a bigger and bigger benefits bill… 

‘I feel a moral duty to deal with these youngsters who at the moment have been written off by previous governments.’ 

Aides told the BBC that Mr Healey had not been making any commitment on when there would be cuts.

Sources accused the broadcaster of ‘editorialising’ by highlighting the exchange, even though the Chancellor’s response appeared clear. 

Mr Burnham then stepped in, with Downing Street insisting there was no ‘arbitrary timetable’ for reducing the costs. Repeatedly asked about the remarks on a visit in the Midlands, the PM said: ‘We want to get the welfare bill down as quickly as possible.’

He added: ‘We just want to get stuck into supporting people… we are working hard to cut the welfare bill as soon as we possibly can.’ 

No10 argued that Mr Healey’s views were ‘completely in line’ with those of Mr Burnham. 

In a fresh twist last night it emerged that the Chancellor told Channel 4 News ‘it’s not correct to say we’re going to bring the welfare bill down in this Parliament’ – suggesting he has abandoned hope of cuts before 2030-31. 

‘So it’s not correct to say that we’re going to bring this welfare bill down in this Parliament because we’ve not set a timetable for that,’ he said. 

Mr Streeting had a different interpretation of the remarks this morning, telling Times Radio: ‘The Chancellor hasn’t ruled out cutting the welfare bill this Parliament. 

‘What he said, and I think reasonably, is that there are two significant reviews going on at the moment.’

Mr Streeting told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: ‘Candidly, we saw when we came in after the general election there was an attempt to bring the welfare bill down by putting an arbitrary figure on it.

‘And when the MPs who want to see the welfare bill coming down saw the detail and who was impacted, people said, ”Hang on a minute, these cuts are falling on the wrong people”.’

A pensioner died after being punched when he told a child not to ride a Lime bike on the pavement, a court has heard.

Andre Wright-Walters, 38, struck 67-year-old James Gbadamosi twice in the face, sending him crashing to the ground in Balham, south-west London, on August 24 last year.

Mr Gbadamosi hit his head on the pavement and was taken to hospital, where he died two weeks later on September 5.

A jury at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court convicted Wright-Walters of manslaughter yesterday after hearing his claim that the pensioner had acted aggressively towards him first.

Prosecutor Ben Holt told the court that the incident happened shortly after 3pm. Mr Gbadamosi had been standing outside Costa Coffee on Balham High Road with his partner when he became upset after seeing a young boy riding a Lime bike on the pavement.

He told the child that he should be riding on the road instead. Mr Gbadamosi then exchanged words with a woman, who said: “You think you’re a big man shouting at a child.”

The woman walked away, sat on a bench and made a telephone call to the defendant.

Mr Holt said Wright-Walters later arrived on Balham High Road carrying a child on his shoulders.

He put the child down before confronting Mr Gbadamosi, the court heard.

“Reference was made to the interaction with the woman and the child,” Mr Holt said. The defendant punched and slapped Mr Gbadamosi before hitting him twice in the face, knocking him to the ground, where he struck his head on the pavement.

Wright-Walters and the woman then left the scene.

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Wright-Walters and the woman were arrested three days later, on August 27. Police searching their home found cocaine.

In a prepared statement during his police interview, Wright-Walters claimed Mr Gbadamosi had immediately behaved aggressively, moved into his personal space and made him fear he was about to be assaulted.

He said Mr Gbadamosi appeared to want a fight, adding that he had been walking backwards while the pensioner moved towards him.

Wright-Walters also said the other man was much taller and insisted he had not gone to the area looking for a confrontation.

Wright-Walters, from Greenwich in south-east London, was found guilty of manslaughter following a trial at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court.

He will be sentenced next Tuesday, November 3.

In a tribute, James Gbadamosi’s family said they welcomed the verdict and thanked police for their hard work in bringing those responsible to justice.

‘James was a huge part of our family and his loss has left a void that can never truly be filled. He was loved by so many, especially his husband, who has lost his beloved partner and the future they had hoped to share together. 

‘An affable, funny, intelligent and caring man, James brought people together and had a genuine interest in others. He will be remembered for his warmth, humour, kindness and the countless friendships he made throughout his life. 

‘His death has changed our lives forever, and we will feel his absence in countless ways for the rest of our lives. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support and sympathy during this difficult time. James was loved beyond measure and will never be forgotten. We will carry him in our hearts always.’ 

Detective Inspector Sarah Philippe, who led the Met’s investigation, said: ‘Our thoughts remain with James’ family as they continue to come to terms with this devastating loss. 

‘While no conviction can ever bring James back to his loved ones or undo the pain and suffering caused by his death, we hope today’s verdict provides them with a measure of closure and a sense that justice has been served. 

‘Throughout this investigation, our focus has been on securing answers for James’ family, and I would like to pay tribute to them as they continue to come to terms with their loss.’ 

For Jennifer Lawrence, apparently no personal detail is too revealing to share.

The 36-year-old Oscar winner, who recently opened up about undergoing a breast lift, offered an unfiltered account of the lasting effects of childbirth during an appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast.

Alex Cooper, 32, was pregnant when the interview was recorded and has since welcomed her child. During the conversation, she asked Lawrence about her own experience of pregnancy and motherhood.

When Cooper asked what had caught her off guard about childbirth, Lawrence delivered a blunt and decidedly graphic answer: “You know, your vagina will bounce back. Your butthole won’t.”

Cooper, who has hosted the sex-focused podcast since 2018, appeared stunned by the revelation. “I don’t know if I needed to hear that before giving birth,” she replied. “I’m like, ‘Wow, wow, Jen.’”

Lawrence and her husband, Cooke Maroney, welcomed a baby boy in April last year. The couple are also parents to four-year-old Cy.

The actress also admitted that she had not felt prepared for the reality of caring for a newborn.

“Everyone says, ‘Your instincts, your instincts,’” Lawrence recalled. “You have no idea what you’re doing.”

Her comments about postpartum changes came shortly after another candid confession about the way motherhood had affected her appearance.

Earlier this week, Lawrence revealed that she had chosen to have a breast lift after feeling that her body had not fully “bounced back” following the birth of her son last year.

The Hunger Games star said she decided to undergo the procedure because she wanted to feel like a “sexy mom.” She also acknowledged that she may consider a facelift at some point in the future.

“At drop-off, I want to look like a woman that has her s**t together, even when I’ve just woken up and don’t have my s**t together,” she said.

Lawrence underwent the surgery before filming a nude scene for Martin Scorsese’s What Happens At Night, which has now completed production.

Although the upcoming film helped accelerate her decision, Lawrence said she would have pursued the procedure regardless. Speaking to The Cut, she explained: “Maybe I wouldn’t be hustling to the appointment in the same way.”

Lawrence went on to explain that she generally avoids fillers because they are noticeable on camera. She said she uses Botox only sparingly, wanting to retain enough movement to express emotion and play characters who “don’t have access to celebrity dermatology.”

She also addressed past speculation that she had undergone a nose job, saying the change in her face was instead the result of losing “babyweight in my face” and getting older.

The striking cover image on The Cut saw the mother-of-two don a plunging brown suede blazer with patterned lapels as she stared directly towards the camera.

But after snapshots from the photoshoot began circulating online, dozens of fans began to question Ms Lawrence’s seemingly ‘changing face.’ 

‘Why do celebrities feel the need to get work done? In most cases, they become unrecognisable. Does altering their look actually help their careers?’ one wrote under a Reddit post.

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‘I wouldn’t recognise this woman as Jennifer Lawrence,’ another added.

‘Oh, please, not JLaw. Of all people that breaks my heart… Why does her face look so different? It’s subtle but at the same time feels like I’m looking at an impersonator,’ a third added. 

There were some, however, who leapt to Lawrence’s defense and blamed any apparent face changes on makeup and lighting.

Dr Melinda Lacerna Kimbrell, a double board-certified plastic surgeon and owner of LA Plastic Surgery, speculated: ‘The most obvious procedural changes appear to be around her eyes.’

‘There is substantially more upper-lid visibility, less hooding and elevation of the outer brow. 

‘That pattern strongly suggests an upper blepharoplasty, possibly combined with a brow lift and a lateral eye lift,’ she added.

The specialist, who has performed more than 1,000 facelifts but has not treated Ms Lawrence, said that her midface ‘appears higher’ and added: ‘There may also have been selective fat grafting around the lower eyelid and upper cheek, although the area beneath her cheekbones looks markedly hollow.’

Dr Kimbrell did add that non-surgical treatments could have played a part in Lawrence’s seemingly altered face.

She questioned whether ‘significant weight loss’ had contributed to her new look with her lower cheeks appearing ‘almost sucked in, creating a much narrower and more angular face.’

In reference to Lawrence’s taut complexion, the doctor suggested it looked ‘exceptionally smooth and even, which could be consistent with laser skin resurfacing.’

‘However, editorial lighting, make-up and retouching can significantly exaggerate improvements in skin texture,’ Kimbrell added.

She concluded: ‘The hair extensions add another layer to the transformation. The tremendous length and volume frame her face very differently, making her new facial proportions appear even more dramatic.’

The Daily Mail has reached out to Lawrence’s representatives for comment. 

In October 2025, the star said she had plans to undergo a breast enhancement following her second pregnancy.

‘Everything bounced back, pretty much, after the first one [referring to her four-year-old son]. Second one, nothing bounced back,’ she said in an interview with The New Yorker.

She has now ventured into the beauty world with her newly launched ‘bio-designed haircare’ company, Mes. 

It sells just three products – a volumising mist, a repair mask and a serum.

In her interview, the actress labelled herself ‘dumb but cute’ while admitting she has ‘no clue’ about the money side of her new business. 

Sadiq Khan’s vision of a tranquil, pedestrian-friendly Oxford Street has come under immediate strain, only days after the first phase of the scheme was completed.

Promotional digital artwork depicted smiling shoppers and tourists walking beneath trees, hand in hand and admiring the shop windows.

The images also suggested that traffic and buses would move smoothly through nearby streets once vehicles were removed from the famous shopping thoroughfare.

Instead, pedestrians have been forced to contend with groups of cyclists riding through the new zone, while security staff looked on this week.

Black-cab drivers say the changes have also made journeys across central London more difficult, adding as much as 20 minutes to some routes.

Video filmed one evening appears to show dozens of cyclists—many of them young men or teenagers—ignoring the restrictions and riding along Oxford Street as though the rules had not changed.

“He’s given up,” one person can be heard laughing, referring to a security guard standing with his arms extended beside the bollards.

A large group of cyclists had gathered near a crossing where vehicles are still permitted to pass, before weaving through shoppers who appeared caught off guard.

Against a backdrop of loud music, the disorder stood in sharp contrast to the calm, welcoming vision presented to Londoners ahead of the launch.

Among those closely monitoring the impact is Bahrain “Baha” Mujagata, a 21-year-old believed to be London’s youngest black-cab driver.

He said traffic on surrounding roads had quickly intensified, prompting him to reminisce about “how it was before” the changes were introduced.

Mr Mujagata told the Local Democracy Service: “Yesterday, I felt the real-time repercussions—there was so much traffic on Regent Street with nowhere else to go. Sitting in traffic that I used to bypass makes life much harder.

“Regent Street going northbound is very crowded, with a cycle lane on the left and a central reservation. If a bus stops to pick up passengers, you have to wait behind it. If it’s like that at night, I can only imagine what it’s like during the day.”

The driver stressed that he was not opposed to pedestrianising Oxford Street in principle, but said the current approach under Mayor Khan was not the right solution.

Mr Mujagata added: “We will evolve and get used to it, as we do whenever they change a road or a turn. But drivers who knew how it was before will always remember.”

At dawn on Monday, London Mayor Sadiq Khan stood in the middle of Oxford Street as the scheme got under way, posing for photographers with his arms outstretched, waving to passing workers and looking towards the sky.

Hours earlier, green bollards had been installed at either end of a 0.9km stretch of the famous shopping hub – from the famous Selfridges department store down to Ikea.

Despite a team of guards barking orders to disembark, at mid-morning cyclists continued to race through the bollards and down the road, trundling over the big new green sticker that had been laid over the tarmac.

Perhaps it would take a day or so for them to get the message, onlookers suggested. The fresh footage suggests not.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Tim Barnes, Westminster City Councillor for Growth and Planning, said after the scheme’s launch: ‘We have been concerned from the outset that taking London’s main east-west road and pushing it to the smaller side roads behind was always going to inevitably lead to traffic problems.

‘You just can’t take that much traffic out of central London and push it on to roads that are smaller, less well suited to taking big vehicles, and not expect it to cause problems.

‘Last night there were all sorts of complications. There was traffic on Regent Street that was backed up, and indeed it stopped for so long at times that we even saw a big waste truck having to turn around and go the wrong way [up the street].

‘And if you look at Wigmore Street, there are points where buses now have to make very, very hard right-hand turns or 90-degree turns, which I think will be a problem for pedestrians and cyclists. 

‘I also think it’s only a matter of time until we see more incidents with cyclists hitting pedestrians on Oxford Street itself.’

The changes have prompted fears that traffic, noise and pollution will simply be pushed on to smaller residential roads, leaving those living and working nearby to bear the brunt of the Mayor’s flagship project. 

Among the roads affected by the new arrangements are Wigmore Street, Henrietta Place and Cavendish Place, which are now accommodating diverted bus services.

Transport for London has confirmed that five bus routes – the 98, 139, 390, N98 and N207 – have been redirected on to surrounding roads, with new stops introduced to accommodate passengers.

Other services have been shortened or altered, while taxis and private hire vehicles are no longer permitted to enter the pedestrianised section.

The upheaval comes despite warnings from Westminster City Council that the scheme risked creating serious problems for residents, businesses and motorists.

Residents in neighbouring Marylebone had also raised concerns before the closure that their streets would become increasingly congested as buses and other vehicles were forced away from Oxford Street.

The Marylebone Association previously calculated that Wigmore Street could see around 46 additional bus movements an hour during peak periods.

Henrietta Place has also been converted to accommodate two-way traffic as part of preparations for the scheme.

The changes represent a major transformation of one of Britain’s most famous shopping destinations, which attracts around 500,000 visitors every day.