Cabinet ambushes Liz Truss over benefit cut that would put 200,000 children in poverty

PM is warned she won't get the shot as the Tories plot with Labor in a civil war - and a former Sainsbury boss warns that the crisis is the worst since the 1970s

Liz Truss and her cabinet curator (file photo) (

Image: Getty Images)

Liz Truss should be told by warring Cabinet ministers that she must abandon her plan to squeeze money from 5.6 million people through Universal Credit.

The Prime Minister wants to break a promise made by Boris Johnson to increase payments in line with inflation next April - a hike of around 10%.

But ministers will warn her in a showdown meeting on Tuesday that she will be beaten by her own MPs if she tries to go ahead.

Some backbench Tories have already raised their fears with Labour, who will examine in detail how they could block any benefit cuts after Parliament returns on Tuesday.

With Tory anger already at fever pitch weeks before any decision was made, an ally of Truss told The Sunday Times: 'She's starting to realize this will never pass'.

This comes as the child poverty action group says an additional 200,000 children will be pushed into poverty if benefits only increase with income - around 5%.

An additional 200,000 children will be pushed into poverty if benefits only increase with income - around 5% (stock photo) (

Picture:

Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A single unemployed adult would lose £185, a disabled single adult would lose £380 and a co-worker...