Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to press on with his controversial welfare reforms, despite a growing number of Labour MPs threatening to rebel.
Overall, 134 MPs are now backing an amendment that would effectively threaten the government’s proposed changes.
The total rebels from the prime minister’s own party is about 120, an increase from the 108 who had signed a Commons bid to stop the changes in their tracks on Tuesday.
Speaking on Tuesday from The Hague, where he is attending the Nato summit, Sir Keir said that a vote on the reforms are “not a confidence vote” but are about “reforming” the system.
Asked if he would offer concessions to placate MPs unhappy with the reforms, he told Sky News: “We’re pressing on with a vote on this because we need to bring about reform.”
Under the proposals in the bill - which is set to come before the Commons for a vote on July 1 - eligibility for the personal independence payment (Pip) will be limited along with the sickness-related element of universal credit (UC).
Ministers have previously said the reforms could save up to £5 billion-a-year.
Key Points
- Welfare reform 'not a confidence vote' says Starmer
- More Labour MPs signal rebellion against Government over welfare reforms
- Labour rebel leader: ‘We do not want to defeat the government’
- Kemi Badenoch offers to rescue Starmer’s welfare reforms
Pictured: Trump and Starmer speak at Nato summit
10:42
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Athena Stavrou
While rebellion grows at home, Starmer is currently meeting with Nato allies in the Hague.
He was pictured speaking with Donald Trump on Wednesday morning.
10:36
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Athena Stavrou
Sir Stephen Timms said there is an “urgency” in the need for reform to the welfare system.
Committee chairwoman Debbie Abrahams, who is one of the Labour MPs to have signed an amendment to block the legislation, asked why the provisions within the Bill had not been consulted on.
The minster for social security and disability told the committee: “Essentially because of the urgency of the changes needing to be made. So if we look at personal independence payment (Pip) – the year before the pandemic, in current prices, Pip cost the then government £12 billion. Last year it cost the government £22 billion and the cost of it went up by £3 billion per year – or £2.8 billion per year – last year alone.
“And that is not a sustainable trajectory. So there was a need for urgency with the changes.”
Welfare minister 'looking forward' to debate
10:26
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Athena Stavrou
Sir Stephen Timms said he is “looking forward” to Tuesday’s debate on the Government’s controversial Bill on welfare reform.
The minster for social security and disability echoed the tone of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who has insisted a vote will go ahead next week, despite a raft of Labour MPs launching an amendment to stop Bill.
Conservative MP and Work and Pensions Committee member Peter Bedford asked Sir Stephen about the Bill during a session on Wednesday.
Mr Bedford said: “Minister, if I can just touch on the elephant in the room, you’ve got your second reading of the welfare Bill due to come before Parliament on Tuesday. Is it still your intention to bring that Bill forward for second reading on Tuesday?”
Sir Stephen replied: “It is. I’m looking forward to the debate.”
Cuts to PIP will 'build up over some time'
10:16
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Athena Stavrou
The social security minister is currently facing questions from a committee of MPs about the Government’s reforms.
Sir Stephen Timms told the Work and Pensions Committee that the vote was still set to go ahead on Tuesday as he sought to explain and defend the reforms to welfare.
When asked if cuts are to begin next April, he explained this wasn’t the case.
"I don't think anyone will see a cut next April, I think new claimants from April will have a lower rate of Universal Credit," he said.
"But no one will experience a cut next April."
He added they will begin in November 2026: "In November, the changes to personal independence payments will start, and there will be then some people from November onwards who have been receiving personal independence payments who won't receive it.”
"Our expectation is around 90 per cent of those who are claiming PIP will still have it by 2029/30.
"The change to the individual will only happen at their next award review after November 2026.
"This will build up over some time."
How will your MP vote on Labour’s welfare bill – and could Starmer’s government be defeated?
10:04
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Athena Stavrou
Labour’s controversial welfare cuts face a significant hurdle at a crunch Commons vote on Tuesday as more than 100 Labour MPs have joined the growing rebellion against the plans.
An amendment signed by the 123 rebels – a figure which grew by 15 on Wednesday morning – would essentially halt the reforms if passed, as it would prevent the government’s bill from progressing any further through Parliament.
See how your MP is likely to vote on Labour’s welfare bill:
What is the welfare bill?
09:52
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Athena Stavrou
The legislation plans to restrict eligibility for the personal independence payment, the main disability payment in England, and limit the sickness-related element of universal credit, with the aim of getting more people back into work and saving up to £5 billion a year.
Existing claimants will be given a 13-week phase-out period of financial support, a move seen as a bid to head off opposition.
But the fact so many Labour MPs are prepared to put their names to a “reasoned amendment”, a move which would stop the Bill in its tracks, shows how entrenched the opposition is.
Minister set to face questions on welfare reforms
09:44
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Athena Stavrou
The social security minister is set to take questions from a committee of MPs on Wednesday on the Government’s reforms.
Sir Stephen Timms will take questions from the Work and Pensions Committee shortly, which is chaired by one of the Labour rebels, Debbie Abrahams.
Where is Starmer today?
09:36
While rebellion grows at home, Sir Keir Starmer is currently in the Netherlands.
Sir Keir is gathered with leaders of other Nato nations – including Donald Trump – in the Hague, where they are expected to formally agree a 5 per cent of GDP defence and security spending pledge.
It is a significant jump from the current 2 per cent Nato target, and details of what counts towards it are due to be set out during this week’s summit, but it is likely to include spending on energy and border security as well as intelligence agencies.
Starmer loyalist: ‘I urge colleagues to step back’
09:25
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Athena Stavrou
The Independent’s political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports:
An MP loyal to Sir Keir Starmer has called for rebellious colleagues to step back and look at the ballooning welfare bill before rejecting the government’s plans to cut personal independence payments.
“One thousand people a day are applying for PIP, the size of Leicester each year, even with the reforms proposed by the end of the parliament 800,000 people will be on PIP who are not on PIP today,” Jake Richards told the BBC.
“That is simply unsustainable,” he added.
He said: “What colleagues in my mind have to recognise is that they cannot like all the spending money, nice easy parts of the welfare reforms, without the difficult decisions that come with that.”
Starmer confirms vote will go ahead
09:15
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Athena Stavrou
In the last few minutes, Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed that Tuesday’s vote on his welfare Bill will go ahead, despite significant backbench opposition.
The Prime Minister told LBC: “There’ll be a vote on Tuesday, we’re going to make sure we reform the welfare system.”
Arguing his party was elected “to change that which is broken”, he said the welfare system “doesn’t work for anyone”.
He added: “It traps people in a position where they can’t get into work. In fact, it’s counterproductive, it works against them getting into work.
“So we have to reform it, and that is a Labour argument, it’s a progressive argument.”
Kemi Badenoch offers to rescue Starmer’s welfare reforms as Labour rebellion grows
09:07
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Athena Stavrou
Kemi Badenoch has offered to rescue Sir Keir Starmer from his own Labour backbenchers after a massive rebellion threatened to bring down his welfare reforms.
In an offer to Sir Keir, she said: “The government is in a mess, their MPs are in open rebellion. If Keir Starmer wants our support, he needs to meet three conditions that align with our core Conservative principles.”
Read the full story:
Labour rebel leader: ‘We do not want to defeat the government’
09:02
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Athena Stavrou
The Independent’s political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports:
A Labour rebel leader has said those opposing Sir Keir Starmer’s welfare cuts do not want to bring down the government.
Helen Hayes said many of those backing an amendment that would kill the welfare bill “are not natural rebels… they do not want to defeat the government”.
The education select committee chair told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme said there are “serious issues at the heart of the bill that have not been answered and need a response… we are asking the government to pause, think again and review what they are proposing.”
Government 'must urgently think again' on welfare reforms: Sir Sadiq Khan
08:51
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Athena Stavrou
Sir Sadiq Khan has said that the Government “must urgently think again” on welfare reforms.
The Mayor of London said that he has “always said that more must be done to support people to go from relying on benefits to getting back into work”.
He added: “What we can’t do is take away the vital safety net that so many vulnerable and disabled Londoners rely upon.
“Having looked at the analysis of the Government’s plans, the impact on London will be substantial, and for too many disabled Londoners it will destroy their financial safety net.
“The Government must urgently think again. It must look again at the potential hardship these changes will force on thousands of vulnerable and disabled Londoners.
“The additional employment and training support ministers have promised must be brought in as soon as possible, and proper transitional protections must be in place before anyone starts to lose their benefits.”
UK defence secretary tetchy over leaked intelligence report
08:50
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Athena Stavrou
The Independent’s political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports:
Britain’s defence secretary hit back at an interviewer for asking about the leaked intelligence report casting doubt on Donald Trump’s anti-nuclear strikes in Iran.
John Healey took on a tetchy tone when asked by the BBC about the report and said it is “for the US to disclose their assessment of the battle damage from their strike”.
Pressed for the UK’s position on the leak, he said: “I am not going to comment… would you really expect me to comment on a leaked intelligence report?”
Pressed again, he said: “Would you expect me to be starting on our own intelligence assessments like that?”
And, highlighting his presence at the Nato summit in The Hague, Mr Healey told the BBC’s Emma Barnett: “I really don't think you'll find the leaders here discussing the sort of questions that you're discussing for your listeners here this morning.”
Welfare reform 'not a confidence vote' says Starmer
08:49
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Athena Stavrou
Sir Keir Starmer has said the vote on welfare reforms is “not a confidence vote” on his leadership as he faces a showdown with Labour rebels.
He told Sky News: “It’s not a confidence vote. It’s a vote about reforming our welfare system.
“It isn’t working. It doesn’t help people into work. Quite the contrary, it actually makes it harder for people to go into work. I think most colleagues do accept the case for reform, we’ve got to get on and make that reform.”
Asked if he would offer concessions to placate MPs unhappy with the reforms, he said: “We’re pressing on with a vote on this because we need to bring about reform.
“We were elected into government to change that which is broken. Our welfare system is broken. The progressive thing to do is to fix it so it works for working people.”
Healey: ‘Welfare system is failing millions’
08:44
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Athena Stavrou
The Independent’s political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports:
John Healey has said the welfare system needs reform as it is currently failing millions.
“This deep-seated, failing system traps millions of people and tells them the only way they can get social security payments is clear, they will never work again,” the defence secretary said.
As the rebellion over Sir Keir Starmer’s benefit cuts grows, Mr Healey told the BBC: “We cannot be in a situation where more than 1,000 people every day are awarded personal independence payments, which has doubled since the pandemic.”
More Labour MPs signal rebellion against Government over welfare reforms
08:42
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Athena Stavrou
More Labour MPs have signalled they are willing to rebel over the Government’s welfare cuts after Sir Keir Starmer declared he would “press on” with next week’s vote.
Overall, 134 MPs are now backing an amendment that would effectively threaten the Government’s proposed changes, an Order Paper published by Parliament late on Wednesday indicated.
Among the new signatories on Tuesday night from Sir Keir’s party were Leeds Central and Headingley MP Alex Sobel, as well as Danny Beales who represents Uxbridge and South Ruislip.
Hertford and Stortford MP Josh Dean and Bradford West MP Naz Shah are also among the new Labour signatories, taking the total rebels from Sir Keir’s party to about 120.
