Keir Starmer Agrees Deal With Rebel Labour MPs In Huge Climbdown On Welfare Cuts

Keir Starmer has been locked in talks with rebel Labour MPs.Keir Starmer has agreed to climb down on his planned welfare cuts after reaching a deal with Labour MPs in an attempt to avoid a humiliating Commons defeat.The prime minister was locked in talks with his rebel backbenchers for most of the day after more than 120 of them threatened to vote down the government’s controversial reforms.Although No.10 will be relieved that they appear to have done enough to avoid losing next week’s vote, the outcome is still a massive blow to the prime minister’s authority which will also make it harder for Rachel Reeves to balance the nation’s books.Under the initial plans, the government wanted to make it harder to claim personal independence payments (PIP) and cut the health-related element of Universal Credit.The changes would have cut the overall welfare bill by £5 billion.Starmer has now agreed that the changes will not affect current claimants, only those who receive the benefits in future.In addition, the PM has also agreed that the government will spend more on employment support and consult on any future changes to PIP.Those concessions are expected to cost the Treasury up to £2 billion, piling pressure on Reeves to find the cash.The deal was struck between Starmer and senior Labour MPs Meg Hillier and Debbie Abrahams, who organised a wrecking amendment which could have killed off the welfare reforms.It remains to be seen whether they will be enough to convince enough of the rebel MPs to vote with the government next week.However, some left-wing MPs have already made clear that they will still oppose the government’s plans next Tuesday.Clive Lewis posted on X: “Every MP will have to weigh up the deal for themselves.“Alas, this smacks of a face saving exercise more than it does doing right by my sick and disabled constituents. No impact assessment. No co-production with disabled groups. No deal. I’ll still be voting against.”Every MP will have to weigh up the deal for themselves.Alas, this smacks of a face saving exercise more than it does doing right by my sick & disabled constituents. No impact assessment. No co-production with disabled groups.No deal.I’ll still be voting against. https://t.co/j9RdzSAU94— Clive Lewis MP (@labourlewis) June 26, 2025Richard Burgon said: “These changes may make a very bad bill less awful. But the vast majority of cuts remain and it still forces hundreds of thousands into poverty. Nowhere near good enough.“I’ll vote against the bill. The government shouldn’t be balancing the books on the backs of disabled people.”These changes may make a very bad Bill less awful.But the vast majority of cuts remain and it still forces hundreds of thousands into poverty. Nowhere near good enough.I'll vote against the Bill. The Government shouldn't be balancing the books on the backs of disabled people. https://t.co/G6Auox8jdl— Richard Burgon MP (@RichardBurgon) June 26, 2025Related...Keir Starmer In Race Against Time To Prevent Humiliating Defeat On Welfare CutsKeir Starmer Hit By Fresh Blow As Labour Rebellion Against Welfare Cuts GrowsStarmer Insists He'll Lead Labour Into Next Election Amid Welfare Rebellion

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