After the welfare vote debacle, this much is clear: Starmer must change. Labour MPs will demand it | Rafael Behr

The anti-Tory energy that won the PM a majority last year has gone. He needs to give his old supporters new reasons to keep him in officeWhen politicians can’t admit they are losing, they say they are listening. Your anger has been heard, says the contrite minister after a byelection drubbing. We are addressing the concerns, says the government spokesperson on the eve of a backbench rebellion. Sometimes, it is even true. Usually, it is too late.The optimal time for Downing Street to have started paying attention to Labour MPs’ complaints about disability benefit cuts was before the uprising threatened to torpedo a flagship government bill.Rafael Behr is a Guardian columnistOne year of Labour, with Pippa Crerar, Rafael Behr and more On 9 July, join Pippa Crerar, Raf Behr, Frances O’Grady and Salma Shah as they look back at one year of the Labour government, its current policies and plans for the next four years Continue reading...

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