Sir Keir Starmer is tightening his grip on Labour MPs as the party braces for a major rebellion over upcoming benefit reforms, with backbenchers now being ordered to attend a critical vote on July 1.
Dozens of Labour MPs who had planned to be absent from Parliament that day say their official permission to miss the vote has been withdrawn, a move seen as a clear signal from party leadership that no dissent will be tolerated. The vote concerns the Government’s proposed £4.3 billion cut to welfare spending, including major reforms to Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments (PIP).
The legislation would tighten eligibility for PIP, limiting it to only the most severely disabled adults, a move campaigners warn could push around 250,000 people into poverty. Despite concerns from within the party, the Labour leadership appears determined to enforce support for the Bill.
One backbench MP said that their planned visit to a local primary school had been cancelled due to the directive. “They’ve cancelled everyone’s slips that day,” the MP said. “At first, I thought I might abstain or vote against it at a later stage. But when they pulled my slip, it decided for me.”
Another Labour MP who had organised an overseas trip for the start of July said the entire visit, including booked flights and visas, had to be called off. “It’s poor management from Downing Street,” they said. “It’s just building frustration. People aren’t debating whether to support the Bill, they’re choosing between abstaining or voting against it.”
Critics within the party say the leadership’s approach is fuelling resentment and risks increasing the scale of the rebellion. “It’s another hill we’re being marched up,” one said. “There’s a repeated theme of a bunker mentality in No 10, like they think they always know best.”
Over 100 Labour MPs are believed to harbour serious concerns about the Bill. With the Government enjoying a working majority of 165, at least 83 Labour MPs would need to oppose it to block the legislation, an unlikely but not impossible prospect if the revolt gains momentum.
Some MPs say the Bill still fails to fix the “fundamental problems” they raised in response to the earlier green paper. “There are good intentions, but the cliff-edge this creates for claimants is too steep,” said one. “I’m not trying to cause trouble. But unless the Government makes changes, I can’t support it.”
