Starmer faces Labour rebellion over proposed £5bn welfare cuts

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing a significant rebellion within the Labour Party over proposed welfare and disability benefit cuts, including £5 billion in savings by 2030 and tightening eligibility for Personal Independence Payments (PIP). More than 40 Labour MPs have publicly criticized the plans as the biggest attack on the welfare state since austerity measures under George Osborne, warning that cuts will cause hardship rather than create jobs, and urging a delay until impact assessments are completed. The opposition includes MPs from both sides of the party and regions like Wales, where the cuts are expected to hit especially hard. Labour MPs describe the proposed reforms as a fresh round of austerity targeting vulnerable people, with many pledging to vote against the measures, raising fears of an explosive rebellion at the upcoming Commons vote. Senior Labour figures have called for corrective action and a more compassionate approach that listens to constituents’ concerns and protects the most vulnerable. Additionally, there is growing apprehension over further benefits cuts planned for the autumn, which threaten to deepen divisions within the party and contradict claims that Labour is responsive to electoral feedback.