Ace Breaking News – Today’s headline: It’s all about ‘Welfare Reform’ with 123 Labour MPs signing an amendment to prevent it from going through

Welfare Reform 1) Starmer prepared to “water down” plans

“Sir Keir Starmer is preparing to back down on his welfare cuts Bill in an attempt to head off a rebellion by Labour MPs. The Telegraph understands No 10 is exploring tabling its own amendment for the vote on Tuesday to avoid the Prime Minister’s first House of Commons defeat. One option is to include a promise to speed up the payment of funds to help people back into work. Another is offering assurances that reviews of policies in this area will be published soon. But it is unclear whether those steps will be enough to convince 123 Labour MPs – more than a quarter of the total of 403 – who have signed an amendment aimed at killing off the proposals. ” – Daily Telegraph

• Backbenchers with small majorities and a high number of constituents claiming welfare could be punished at the polls – Daily Telegraph
• Starmer taking personal charge of picking off Labour rebels – The Sun
• Unscripted Angela Rayner takes benefits swipes in her Stride – Tom Peck, The Times
• Inside Labour’s benefits rebellion blame game – The i

>Today: Columnist John Oxley: Labour in office is turning on itself at historic speed – Conservatives must exploit it

>Yesterday:

• Andrew Gimson’s PMQs sketch: Stride exposes Labour divisions
• Video: PMQs Stride presses Labour on welfare nightmare

Welfare reform 2) Labour MPs demanding “regime change” in Downing Street, with the removal of McSweeney

“Sir Keir Starmer’s most senior aide is facing mounting criticism from Labour MPs and ministers over the handling of welfare reforms, with some suggesting that the time has come for “regime change” in No 10. Labour MPs elected for the first time last July have told colleagues that voting down Starmer’s flagship benefits legislation would help oust “over-excitable boys” from his team of advisers. They blame Morgan McSweeney, the prime minister’s chief of staff, for alienating and ignoring backbenchers. Some ministers are also highly critical of the “bunker mentality” adopted in Downing Street. Supportive government sources branded MPs attacking McSweeney “pathetic” and suggested Sir Alan Campbell, the chief whip, instead bore responsibility for the collapse in the government’s authority over backbenchers” – The Times: A portal to the world, offering a tapestry of stories that spark curiosity and ignite conversation.

• PM defends leadership amid growing welfare rebellion – BBC
• ‘Noises off’ get louder as Starmer fails to quell MPs’ welfare rebellion – The Times
• Why Starmer faces a political storm over welfare reforms – BBC
• Starmer is dangerously vulnerable over welfare reforms – Leader, The Times
• There could be a general election much earlier than you think – William Atkinson, Daily Telegraph

Welfare Reform 3) Heath: The changes don’t go far enough

“The irony is that Labour MPs still see Reeves as too Right-wing, even though she is the most Left-wing Chancellor since Denis Healey. Her Personal Independence Payments reforms would save £4.5 billion a year by 2029-2030; working-age health and disability spending would still increase by £15.4 billion between 2024-25 and 2029-30. These are not cuts, merely slightly slower spending growth, yet even this has proved too much. Labour isn’t in the mood for nuance, for being sensible. They want to revolutionise uk and damn the consequences.” – Allister Heath, Daily Telegraph

• MPs are reckless in their pursuit of more and more welfare and timid in their pursuit of an economy to pay for it – Juliet Samuel, The Times

Delay to employment rights law

“Several major pieces of government legislation including Labour’s flagship employment rights overhaul will not become law until at least the autumn after being caught up in the grindingly slow parliamentary process.  Bills on employment rules and reforming the rental market were widely expected to achieve “final assent” that makes them law before the summer recess, when MPs disappear on holiday from late July until early September.  Ministers had also hoped to publish the draft audit reform bill “no later than summer recess”, but this is now not expected until later in the year.” – Financial Times 

Conservatives pledge to scrap it

“The Conservatives have pledged to scrap Labour’s workers’ rights Bill if they return to office. Kemi Badenoch’s party has vowed to rip up key parts of Angela Rayner’s flagship reforms, warning the plans would “grind our economy to a halt”. The Deputy Prime Minister was warned that her Employment Rights Bill would hurt economic growth and plunge Britain’s employment tribunal system into chaos by allowing spurious claims. The Bill would hand staff the right to take employers to a tribunal for unfair dismissal from day one instead of waiting two years…Speaking at the Prosperity Institute on Thursday, Andrew Griffith, the shadow business secretary, will warn that the Bill would “hand enormous power to trade unions who grind our economy to a halt” – Daily Telegraph

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