In a dramatic climbdown on Thursday, Keir Starmer agreed to protect all existing claimants from losing Personal Independence Payments. But he still faces a major rebellion
A government minister has been quizzed on Keir Starmer’s U-turn on cuts to disability benefits after a bruising week for the Prime Minister.
Skills Minister Baroness Jacqui Smith was pressed after the government was forced last week to introduce major concessions to avoid a humiliating Commons defeat.
In a dramatic climbdown on Thursday, the PM agreed to protect all existing claimants from losing Personal Independence Payments. The changes to PIP will now only apply to new claims from November 2026.
But Mr Starmer is still facing a rebellion at tomorrow’s crunch vote, with as many as 50-60 Labour MPs still said to be considering voting against the government. It would be the biggest revolt of Mr Starmer’s premiership so far.
Appearing on BBC Breakfast, Baroness Smith was told: “It’s quite a bruising week for the government. Looking at it now, how on earth did it get to this point?” The ex-Home Secretary replied: “What I think is important is what we’re going to be starting tomorrow is really important reform of a broken welfare system.
“Welfare reform is always difficult and I think actually the engagement that;s happened with Labour MPs, who are rightly bringing the concerns of their constituents about how this reform is going to work, have made this legislation better.”
Baroness Smith also said she hoped that Labour MPs will “feel able to support” the government at tomorrow’s crunch vote after the concessions announced last week. The minister also suggested it was not “constructive” to discuss potential punishments for MPs who may decide to rebel against Mr Starmer’s welfare plans.
READ MORE: Keir Starmer warned of ‘two tier’ benefit system as he says U-turn ‘strikes right balance’
Asked on Sky News what the consequences should be for Labour MPs who vote against the government on the matter, she said: “I don’t think talking about punishments, even as a former chief whip, is the constructive way forward here.”
She later added: “It’s always the case in legislation that you introduce the Bill, you have a second reading on the principles, and then you think about the details as you take that through all of its stages in Parliament. I’m sure that that will continue to happen.”
But speaking on Monday the Labour MP Clive Efford said he still will not support the welfare bill even after the Government made concessions. He told the Today Programme on BBC Radio 4: “I think there are a lot of people waiting to hear what the Government is saying today who may be inclined to accept what the Government has done.
READ MORE: MPs on fence ahead of crunch welfare vote as ‘costs facing disabled people soar’
“For me the situation hasn’t changed for those people who will be adversely affected and until we know and understand the impact on them, we shouldn’t be taking what I think is a leap in the dark.”
He added: “There are choices that the Government can make here; there are other places it can go to identify the resources. What we want to see, and fully support, is measures the Government is putting in the palace to assist people to move into work, the right to try, we support, but we can’t guarantee the savings.
“When you’re asking for £3.5 billion regardless of the impact of those changes that can only adversely affect people who are in the benefit system. We cannot make assumptions about how much we can save in the welfare system ahead of actually bringing in those changes and seeing how they work.”
Plans for a major review of PIP will also be set out today, which will be co-produced by disabled people, organisations who represent them and MPs. It is hoped that the terms of the review – which will place disabled people at the heart of it – will persuade nervous MPs that the legislation is now heading in the right direction.
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