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Starmer braces for major welfare rebellion

Starmer braces for major welfare rebellion

Telegraph3 days ago
Sir Keir Starmer is bracing for the biggest Labour rebellion of his premiership at a crunch vote on his flagship welfare Bill this evening.
MPs are due to vote for the first time on the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill at 7pm.
Sir Keir hoped he had defused the revolt last week after he caved in to rebel demands to water down some of his welfare cuts.
But the Prime Minister is still facing a rebellion by dozens of Labour MPs who are due to vote against the Bill because they believe the Government's concessions do not go far enough amid concerns it will push tens of thousands of people into poverty.
Some 39 Labour MPs have signed a new amendment designed to torpedo the legislation.
That would be far short of the 83 needed to overturn the Government's majority and to kill the Bill but a rebellion of 39 would still represent a hammer blow to Sir Keir's authority.
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