Conservatives unveil £47bn public spending cuts at conference

At the Conservative Party conference in Manchester on Monday and Wednesday, shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride and leader Kemi Badenoch set out a package of policies they say would cut about 47 billion pounds from public spending if the party wins the next general election. The proposals, presented across conference speeches and events, include substantial welfare reforms, reductions to overseas aid and the civil service, new incentives for young workers, and a pledge on how savings would be used to reduce the deficit.

Stride outlined a 23 billion-pound reduction to the welfare bill driven by changes to sickness and disability benefits and tougher work-seeking requirements for universal credit claimants. Under the plan, personal independence payments would no longer be payable for some less severe mental health conditions such as anxiety and would require a formal medical diagnosis before entitlement to PIP or incapacity elements of universal credit. The party also proposes moving away from ongoing cash payments in some cases, replacing them with one-off equipment or tailored treatments, the party said.

The Conservatives said they would restrict access to benefits and social...