A fiery clash erupted on GB News as broadcaster Mike Parry confronted former Labour MP Stephen Pound over the Government's benefits reform chaos.
Parry told Pound that he should be "utterly ashamed" before the former Labour MP admitted that the benefits bill is "dead in the water."
The Government has been forced to abandon its key welfare reform plans after facing a major Labour rebellion.
Sir Keir Starmer's administration shelved proposals to restrict eligibility for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) just 90 minutes before MPs were due to vote on the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill.
Stephen Pound said not to 'kick a man while he is down'
GB NEWS
"I'm surprised you turned up this morning, Stephen. Very brave. Considering the shambles of the Government you once represented, you must feel utterly ashamed," Parry said.
Pound responded: "Can I just say, it's pretty low to kick a man when he's down. And I appreciate that you never see a belt without wanting to hit below it. But in all honesty, have a little sympathy."
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GB News host Andrew Pierce interjected: "I have sympathy for the very many disabled people who thought they were going to lose their independence payments and now won't."
Stephen Pound said: "Do you honestly think that the present system of welfare benefits is sustainable?"
Andrew said: "I think major reform is needed now, but it’s dead in the water because of your gutless, useless Prime Minister."
Pound nodded in agreement before saying "yes," he further explained: "It has to be done. It has to be reformed.
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"Last week, you came out with a figure, it was 1,000 people a day. 1,000 people a day, every day. We cannot possibly sustain that.
"A lot of these interviews are now being done over the phone or on Zoom. People can game the system."
The climbdown follows multiple U-turns, with the welfare squeeze originally intended to save £4.8billion annually, later reduced to £2.3billion when the bill was first watered down last week.
Mike Parry said the ex-Labour MP should be "utterly ashamed"
GB NEWS
Some 39 Labour MPs signed an amendment to kill the bill at its first hurdle in the Commons.
A previous effort had attracted more than 120 Labour supporters but was dropped after the Government's first partial U-turn, which would have restricted PIP changes to new claimants from November 2026.
The abandoned reforms would have tightened daily living assessments for future PIP claimants from November 2026, making it harder for disabled people with less severe conditions to claim.
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