Andy Burnham Urges Starmer To 'Listen To Labour MPs' And Ditch Welfare Cuts

Keir Starmer with Andy Burnham at the launch of Labour's election manifesto last year.Andy Burnham has urged Keir Starmer to “listen” to Labour MPs and ditch his plans for cuts to the welfare budget.The mayor of Manchester has become the latest big name to join the growing rebellion in the party ahead of a crunch Commons vote next week.More than 120 Labour MPs have signed a wrecking amendment which would effectively kill off the government’s Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill.London mayor Sadiq Khan has also attacked the cuts, saying they will leave thousands of disabled and vulnerable people in the capital worse off.Appearing on BBC2′s Newsnight on Tuesday, Burnham said: “When the PLP (Parliamentary Labour Party) delivers its collective wisdom in such numbers it is invariably right. And it is right on this. And I would say to the government, listen to the PLP.“I go back to my time in government and I went through some of those big votes of the past – Iraq the main one but there were others too. When there was such unease that was so widespread and actually from really good people, from all parts of the party, the names, they were from all wings of the party.“If I look back, if the government that I was in had listened to the PLP it would have been a better government, because it would have made better decisions. And I think this is a case in point here.“It’s not about doing something just to get on at the government. Not at all. We all want the government to succeed. But the government needs, I think, to take a more unifying path.“And on this issue, it should pause, it should get back around the table. I met Greater Manchester Disabled People’s Panel today – there is genuine, deep anxiety about these proposals.”"The Government needs to take a more unifying path... there is genuine, deep anxiety about these proposals."Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham urges the Government to listen to Labour MPs who oppose proposed welfare cuts.#Newsnightpic.twitter.com/n7JtDVqwGj— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) June 24, 2025Ministers want to slash £5 billion from the welfare budget by making it harder for people to claim personal independence payments (PIP) and by cutting the sickness-related element of universal credit (UC).Starmer has insisted that the reforms will also see more support provided to help get people off benefits and into work.The number of Labour MPs backing the rebellion against the changes actually grew on Tuesday, despite cabinet members ringing them up urging them to back the government.Nevertheless, Starmer has insisted next week’s vote will still go ahead, despite the fact he is currently facing a humiliating defeat.Related...Sadiq Khan Joins Labour Backlash As Rebellion Against Starmer's Welfare Cuts GrowsKeir Starmer Says He Won't Back Down On Welfare Cuts As Labour Rebellion GrowsWhy The Labour Welfare Rebellion Is 'A Massive F*** You To Keir And Rachel'

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