Why do people fall for media spin about Labour and welfare?

That’s a serious question – because there’s a piece in today’s paper that plenty of people in the Labour Party seem to have taken seriously. It claims that Labour wants to “take away benefits from young jobless”. That Reeves is making a speech on welfare this Monday isn’t a secret, but it seems clear that’s not what it’s about. The Sun also goes on to claim that:

“A series of options studied by Labour’s welfare supremo Ms Reeves include stripping the dole from all 18 to 24 year olds.

In a move proposed by lefty wing think tank the IPPR, it would instead be replaced by a new means-tested “youth allowance” for those who are not in work or education.”

Sound familiar? The Telegraph claimed exactly the same back in November, and Reeves knocked the claims on the head back then, saying “This is not and will not be our policy” “it’s not our plan” and “it is totally not my position!”. This was a non-story back in November, as we said at the time. It’s no more true now than it was then, and Reeves has been painfully clear about that.

Evidently those denials weren’t clear enough for The Sun, or maybe they just weren’t listening.  So Reeves has come out again today with a robust response, tweeting:

“On Mon I’m speaking at ippr abt cost of living crisis & getting people back 2 work. Any suggestion we will target benefits of young r wrong.”

When it comes to stories about Labour and welfare in the Tory supporting press, take them with an industrially sized pinch of salt…