Keir Starmer Faces Labour Rebellion, Criticism Over EU Deal and Welfare Cuts

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer faces significant internal opposition within the Labour Party over proposed welfare reforms aimed at tightening eligibility for the Personal Independence Payment, with more than 100 Labour MPs urging a scaling back of cuts to protect disabled people from bearing the brunt of economic mismanagement. Concurrently, Starmer is under sharp criticism from both opposition figures and former party members over his recent deal with the European Union, which critics like Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel and former Prime Minister Boris Johnson describe as a 'surrender' undermining Brexit. Patel condemned the agreement as an 'outrageous' betrayal that bends the knee to Brussels, while Johnson labeled it 'hopelessly one-sided.' Additionally, commentators have criticized Starmer's economic policies and his approach to Brexit-related matters, arguing that his negotiations have harmed the UK economy, increased youth unemployment, and will exacerbate immigration issues through new EU mobility schemes. These developments portray Starmer's leadership as facing multiple challenges both from within his party and from political adversaries, centered around welfare reforms and the UK's evolving relationship with the EU.