18 m. ago Starmer hits back at ‘rattled’ accusation over Labour MP suspensions

Sir Keir Starmer rejected comparisons to Sir Tony Blair when grilled over the suspension of Labour MPs due to their opposition of welfare cuts.

Events

58 m. ago Keir Starmer says he will not be ‘deflected’ from plans by repeat rebel MPs

The Prime Minister said he had to deal with people who repeatedly break the whip.

Politics

10 h. ago Keir Starmer's suspension of four Labour rebel MPs leaves backbenchers 'in state of shock'

Four Labour MPs have been stripped of the Labour party whip and three others were removed as trade envoys

Events

20 h. ago Suspended Labour MP ‘can’t promise’ Starmer he won’t rebel again

Suspended Labour MP Brian Leishman was defiant in his promise that he could not guarantee he would rebel again

Economics

25 h. ago Keir Starmer removes Labour whip from four ‘persistent rebel’ MPs

Rachael Maskell, Neil Duncan-Jordan, Brian Leishman and Chris Hinchliff pushed out and three trade envoys lose rolesUK politics live – latest updatesKeir Starmer has removed the Labour whip from four MPs for repeatedly breaching discipline and stripped three further Labour MPs of their trade envoy roles in an effort to assert his control over the party.The Guardian understands that the four MPs who have lost the whip are Rachael Maskell, Neil Duncan-Jordan, Brian Leishman and Chris Hinchliff. They were informed on Wednesday afternoon and told their positions would be kept under review. Continue reading...

Politics

25 h. ago Brian Leishman: Scottish MP among three suspended by Starmer over 'persistent breaches of party discipline'

All three voted against the Government’s planned welfare reforms earlier this month.

Politics

25 h. ago Brian Leishman: Scottish MP among four suspended by Starmer over 'persistent breaches of party discipline'

All voted against the Government’s planned welfare reforms earlier this month.

Politics

26 h. ago Keir Starmer to remove Labour whip from at least four ‘persistent rebel’ MPs

Rachael Maskell, Neil Duncan-Jordan, Brian Leishman and Chris Hinchliff to be pushed out as PM takes actionUK politics live – latest updatesKeir Starmer is to remove the whip from MPs for persistent rebellions, starting with at least four of them on Wednesday afternoon.The Guardian understands that four MPs set to lose the whip are Rachael Maskell, Neil Duncan-Jordan, Brian Leishman, and Chris Hinchliff. Continue reading...

Politics

26 h. ago Keir Starmer to remove Labour whip from at least three ‘persistent rebel’ MPs

Neil Duncan-Jordan, Brian Leishman and Chris Hinchliff to be pushed out as PM takes actionKeir Starmer is to remove the whip from MPs for persistent rebellions, starting with at least three of them on Wednesday afternoon.The Guardian understands that one of the MPs who has had the whip removed is Neil Duncan-Jordan, the MP for Poole, who was a critic of both the welfare bill and cuts to the winter fuel allowance. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Sir Keir Starmer under mounting Labour rebel pressure to scrap two

Sir Keir Starmer is coming under mounting pressure from within his own Cabinet to scrap the two-child benefit cap, despite Treasury warnings over a lack of funding to ditch the policy.

Events

2 w. ago Labour welfare bill latest: Starmer’s benefits policy ‘disintegrated before our eyes’, claims rebel MP

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

Economics

2 w. ago How the ‘rebel alliance’ took on Starmer over welfare — and won

Plans to cut £5bn from Britain’s spiralling benefits bill lie in tatters after U-turn

Politics

2 w. ago Labour welfare bill latest: Starmer offers rebel MPs fresh concession ahead of vote

MPs debating second reading of bill in Commons ahead of crunch vote

Politics

2 w. ago Labour welfare bill latest: Rebel MPs lash out at Starmer over ‘Dickensian’ benefit cuts ahead of vote

MPs debating second reading of bill in Commons ahead of crunch vote

Politics

2 w. ago 'Dickensian' benefit cuts slammed by leading Labour rebel as Starmer faces biggest revolt of his premiership

Ministers hope that the PM’s partial U-turn will be enough to win over sufficient Labour rebels to pass the Government’s welfare changes when MPs vote on Tuesday

Politics

2 w. 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

2 w. ago Starmer braced for biggest rebellion of premiership as Labour MPs rail against benefit cuts

PM facing criticism from backbenchers over welfare bill ahead of key vote on Tuesday

Politics

2 w. ago Labour in chaos as Keir Starmer's allies slam rebel MPs after benefits U

In his third major policy reversal in recent weeks, Sir Keir has caved in the face of a backbench rebellion to water down plans to cut £5billion from Britain's welfare bill.

Events

2 w. 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

2 w. ago Rebel rebel: parliamentary humiliations didn’t start with Starmer

Government climbdown on welfare reveals the perpetually problematic relationship between Labour’s front and backbench

Politics