9 h. ago No 10 defends chancellor after day of bitter recriminations over welfare bill fiasco

Rachel Reeves said to have PM’s full backing after she was in tears in the Commons amid fallout of Labour’s welfare bill U-turnKeir Starmer has been forced to defend his chancellor after a day in which the bitter recriminations over Labour’s welfare bill fiasco appeared to leave Rachel Reeves in tears and the markets in turmoil.Ministers said there would be long-lasting implications for the government’s spending priorities after it was forced to abandon the central plank of its welfare changes to prevent a damaging defeat by rebel MPs. Continue reading...

Economics

15 h. ago Rachel Reeves battles tears as Sir Keir Starmer declines to back her staying in post

The Prime Minister faced MPs after being forced into a U-turn over welfare reforms

Events

16 h. ago Starmer defends welfare reform package despite climbdown over Pip

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was forced to shelve key elements of the welfare reform plan to limit a Labour revolt.

Politics

16 h. ago Who's to blame for Labour's welfare 'clusterf***'? Knives out for Keir Starmer's top team after Commons shambles

After ministers were forced to gut their welfare plans in dramatic scenes in the House of Commons last night, who is to blame for the Government's humiliation?

Politics

32 h. ago Disability benefit cuts: Sir Keir Starmer forced to make late concession in biggest Labour rebellion

Sir Keir Starmer was forced to abandon a key plank of his welfare reform agenda to get the legislation through its first Commons test.

Politics

32 h. ago How No 10 went from bullish to badly damaged as rebels forced further welfare bill concessions

Tumultuous 24 hours capped by last-minute climbdown on cuts to Pips could define rest of Starmer’s time as PMHow did your MP vote on the welfare reforms?Hours before MPs were due to vote on the government’s welfare bill, Angela Rayner conveyed an urgent message to Downing Street.She had spent the day in intense talks with Labour rebels including Sarah Owen and Florence Eshalomi, and come to the conclusion the concessions offered just days earlier had failed. Dozens of them were still planning to vote against the government, and one of Keir Starmer’s major economic policies hung in the balance. Continue reading...

Economics

39 h. ago Voices: Labour’s rebel MPs have weakened Starmer – but the greatest damage is to themselves

Backbenchers who vote against the government whip today stood behind the PM to win the general election, but now seem determined to march themselves out of power, says John Rentoul

Events

3 d. ago ‘Too arrogant to listen’: how welfare bill soured Starmer’s relations with rebel MPs

MPs describe receiving veiled deselection threats as No 10 sought to quash revolt before finally backing down The Conservative shadow cabinet minister looked more cheerful than at any point in the 12 months since the general election. “How did they get into such a mess?” they asked. “What are they going to do?”The answer was revealed a couple of days later when Keir Starmer and his ministers made a series of emergency concessions on their flagship welfare programme, to prevent the otherwise far-greater ignominy of the programme being voted down in the House of Commons. Continue reading...

Economics

4 d. ago Keir Starmer says fixing welfare is 'a moral imperative' but claims he will not 'take away the safety net' from the vulnerable

Sir Keir Starmer's comments at the Welsh Labour conference come after he was forced into a humiliating climbdown on welfare reforms in the face of a backbench rebellion.

Politics

4 d. ago UC and PIP concessions will force the Government to lose £3 billion on welfare reform

In a bid to protect disabled people and win over Labour rebels, the government is forfeiting £3billion of the planned £5.5billion savings in the welfare reform

Economics

5 d. ago All the Labour MPs who forced PIP change as PM warned welfare fight isn't over

Keir Starmer has been warned he still faces a showdown to push through controversial welfare changes as critics warned a string of concessions are 'nowhere near enough'

Events

6 d. ago Starmer caves in to rebels on benefits: Sir Keir is forced into a humiliating climbdown by Labour welfare army

The Prime Minister is said to have handed them 'massive concessions' in a bid to avoid defeat in a crunch vote on benefit cuts next week.

Politics

6 d. ago Starmer caves in to rebels on benefits: Sir Keir is forced into a humiliating climb

The Prime Minister is said to have handed them 'massive concessions' in a bid to avoid defeat in a crunch vote on benefit cuts next week.

Politics