Labour Party Leader Sir Keir Starmer aims to suppress dissent from fellow Labour MPs concerning welfare policy modifications
** politicians scramble to contain welfare reform backlash**
UK leadership is pulling out all the stops to quell a rebellion among Labour MPs over welfare reforms. With the first vote on the legislation looming in early July, Sir Keir Starmer and Prime Minister held one-on-one meetings with concerned MPs to discuss the proposed cuts to sickness and disability benefits.
Starmer's high-stakes intervention comes ahead of a crucial vote on *assisted dying,* as thePACKage of reforms is aimed at encouraging more people off welfare and into work, but dozens of Labour rebels said the proposals are "impossible to support."
Cabinet Ministers downplay expectations of mass resignations, but one junior minister hinted at strong opposition to the reforms. Government Whip Vicky Foxcroft recently resigned over the issues, writing that she understands the need to address the ever-increasing welfare bill but doesn't believe the proposed cuts "should be part of the solution."
Other junior ministers and whips have yet to follow Foxcroft's lead. One government insider noted that it's hard to predict the mood as the vote approaches, with a lot of work going on behind the scenes.
Meanwhile, Welfare Secretary Liz Kendall has been meeting individually with MPs to make their case for the reforms. Kendall insists the welfare system is "at a crossroads," with the bill focusing on "compassion, opportunity, and dignity." The government is hopeful that a £1bn fund to support disabled people into work and the scrapping of the Work Capability Assessment will help win over skeptical MPs.
However, disability groups maintain that the cuts will have a "disastrous" effect on the most vulnerable segments of society.
The reforms are part of a broader effort to trim the welfare bill, with between 800,000 and 1.3 million disabled people expected to face significant cuts if the changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) go through. The health element for new Universal Credit claimants will also be halved from April 2026, leading to a real-terms cut of £3,000 annually for over 750,000 disabled people.
The fight to convince MPs to back the benefit cuts affecting over three million households has become a heated battle within the Labour Party. While some MPs have vowed to resist the reforms, others are pushing for concessions to address the concerns of vulnerable groups.
In the meantime, tensions within the party run high, with both sides digging in their heels. The outcome of the upcoming vote could have significant implications for both the Labour Party and the welfare system as a whole.
Related Topics:* Welfare Reforms* Labour Party* disabled people
[1] IFS: Reeves risks having to raise taxes[2] Kendall: Reforms will go ahead[3] Labour MP Vicky Foxcroft quits as government whip over cuts to disability benefits[4] Is Labour facing big backlash over welfare reforms?[5] Battle to convince MPs to back benefit cuts to more than three million households
- The heated debate over the UK's welfare reforms, a key part of the Labour Party's policy-and-legislation, has triggered a war of words within the party, with some MPs resisting the proposed cuts while others are actively seeking concessions.
- In the midst of internal politics, the government's welfare reforms, including the controversial changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Universal Credit, have raised concerns among disability groups, predicting them to have a disastrous effect on vulnerable segments of society.
