Burnham dismisses 'brutal cuts' to welfare after Chancellor's humiliating U-turn on whether surging costs will come down before election

Labour's welfare chaos deepened today as Andy Burnham dismissed the idea of 'brutal cuts' - after the Chancellor's humiliating U-turn on bringing costs down before the election.The PM insisted he is 'pioneering a new approach' amid more confusion over when the surging bill might be reduced.John Healey sparked panic among aides in interviews after his Budget by appearing to commit to lowering benefits before the country next goes to the ballot boxes.The Treasury desperately backpedalled before Downing Street said there was no 'arbitrary timetable' for savings.Speaking last night, Mr Healey seemingly reversed his position entirely, saying it was 'not correct to say that we're going to bring this welfare bill down in this Parliament'. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting threw fresh doubt on the situation as he toured broadcast studios this morning, arguing that the Chancellor had still not ruled out cuts before the election. In an ITV documentary to mark his first 100 days in No10, Mr Burnham tried again to explain his approach. In an ITV documentary to mark his first 100 days in No10, Andy Burnham tried again to explain his approach to welfare John Healey sparked panic among aides in interviews after his Budget by appearing to commit to lowering benefits before the country next goes to the ballot boxes'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.Pressed how he will bring the bill down, 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.'Kemi Badenoch said it was 'astounding' that the Government could not commit to reducing benefits this decade, despite forecasts that the costs will rise 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 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.' HEALEY'S DAY OF U-TURNS 6am - BBC Radio 4's Today programmeNick Robinson: 'There will be cuts in welfare before the election?'Healey: '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 and I feel a moral, a moral duty to deal with these youngsters who at the moment have been written off by previous governments and I'm not prepared to see that happen in the future.'NoonDowning Street argues that the Chancellor did not set out a timeframe for reducing the benefits bill before the next election.1pmAndy Burnham tells reporters the Government is working 'flat out' to reduce spending on benefits and wants to do so 'as soon as we possibly can'.7pm Channel 4 NewsHealey: '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.'