9 h. ago Can Labour survive its identity crisis? Ask chief political commentator John Rentoul anything

The Independent’s chief political commentator, John Rentoul, is here to answer your questions as Labour grapples with a welfare reform crisis, mounting pressure on Keir Starmer’s leadership, and growing doubts over Rachel Reeves’s position

Events

22 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

23 h. ago The Guardian view on Labour’s welfare rebellion: Starmer must learn from his mistakes | Editorial

A poorly devised cuts policy was mis-sold as reform and MPs were dismissed when they pointed out the problemA clash between the government and Labour MPs over disability benefits was foreseeable long before this week’s Commons rebellion. That doesn’t mean a crisis was inevitable. Compromise might have been reached before the 11th-hour climbdown that averted a defeat in parliament.The conflagration that burned a lot of Sir Keir Starmer’s authority was all the greater because trust had broken down. The twin causes were failure of political judgment in Downing Street and bad policy. The prime minister underestimated the potency of MPs’ objections to the withdrawal of personal independence payment (Pip) from disabled people, and overestimated the capacity of his whips to bully and cajole his party into accepting the changes.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to...

Politics

25 h. ago 'I'm under so much pressure': What Rachel Reeves said before mystery tears as markets tumble and No10 frantically denies Starmer bust

The Chancellor is said to have made the admission to Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle before taking her seat for an extraordinary session of Prime Minister's Questions.

Events

26 h. ago Rachel Reeves' mystery tears send markets tumbling as No10 frantically denies Starmer bust

Chancellor Rachel Reeves was sitting next to Keir Starmer as he insisted the smoking ruin of his benefits reforms would still make things better.

Politics

26 h. ago How Starmer went from defiant to defeated as he scrambled to get his bill over the line

The debacle over the welfare reforms has stripped Keir Starmer of his authority and left his government damaged. David Maddox tracks how the prime minister lost control

Politics

26 h. ago Rachel Reeves 'had row with Starmer' minutes before bursting into tears in astonishing moment at PMQs... and now markets drop amid chaos fears

Chancellor Rachel Reeves was sitting next to Keir Starmer as he insisted the smoking ruin of his benefits reforms would still make things better.

Events

27 h. ago Voices: Only Angela Rayner has emerged from the welfare debacle with her reputation intact

It took the intervention of the deputy prime minister to persuade the prime minister that the game was up – now some Labour MPs are wondering if she’ll replace him, writes John Rentoul

Politics

28 h. ago Voices: Starmer has been given two black eyes by his party – but here’s how he could fight back

Bruised by his welfare reforms battle, the prime minister is on a hook of his own making. With a little help from Westminster, he can wriggle off, says Andrew Grice

Politics

28 h. ago Rachel Reeves in TEARS as Starmer refuses to guarantee she will stay in her job in astonishing  PMQs after PM's benefits humiliation

Chancellor Rachel Reeves was sitting next to Keir Starmer as he insisted the smoking ruin of his benefits reforms would still make things better.

Politics

28 h. ago PMQs latest: Rachel Reeves cries in Commons after Starmer refuses to guarantee she will stay on as chancellor

Chancellor’s spokesperson says Reeves was crying over a ‘personal matter’ as Starmer’s press secretary confirms she has PM’s ‘full backing’

Politics

29 h. ago Starmer fails to guarantee chancellor’s future and does not rule out tax rises to fund welfare concessions – UK politics live

Kemi Badenoch tells PM the welfare bill is a ‘pointless waste of time’ after climbdown heads off Labour revoltWelfare bill climbdown will have ‘a cost’ at budget, says ministerOn Wednesday, Angela Rayner sought to reassure people who had been “scared” about the proposed benefits changes, reports the PA news agency.Speaking to ITV’s Lorraine, the deputy prime minister said:Anyone listening to your show today, they know that there will be no changes to their welfare.I want to make sure that people are reassured by that, because a lot of people have been scared about what’s going to happen. Continue reading...

Economics

29 h. ago Rachel Reeves WEEPS as Starmer refuses to guarantee she will stay in her job during brutal PMQs

Chancellor Rachel Reeves was sitting next to Keir Starmer as he insisted the smoking ruing of his benefits reforms would still make things better.

Politics

29 h. ago PMQs latest: Starmer fails to rule out tax rises in autumn after welfare U

Watering down of legislation represents most significant knock to prime minister’s leadership since coming into power a year ago

Economics

30 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

30 h. ago Watch live: Starmer faces Badenoch at PMQs after Labour’s welfare bill passes second reading

Watch live as Sir Keir Starmer faces Kemi Badenoch at PMQs on Wednesday (2 July), hours after MPs voted to pass the prime minister’s watered-down welfare bill.

Economics

30 h. ago Starmer on the brink after just a year in power: Angela Rayner twists the knife as rivals circle PM in wake of humiliating welfare humbling

Keir Starmer's authority has been left in tatters after his extraordinary surrender to avert defeat at the hands of Labour rebels.

Politics

31 h. ago Labour welfare bill latest: Minister won’t rule out tax rises and says climbdown will come at a ‘cost’

Watering down of legislation represents most significant knock to prime minister’s leadership since coming into power a year ago

Economics

31 h. ago Kill the bill: Who are the five London Labour MPs who tried to block Keir Starmer's welfare reforms?

In total, 44 Labour MPs voted for an amendment to scrap the controversial legislation

Events

33 h. ago Welfare cuts chaos: Tax rises loom within months after Starmer's 'shambolic' benefit reforms 'saved nothing'

Chancellor Rachel Reeves now faces a £5 billion hole in her tax and spending plans

Economics