Inside the Labour welfare rebellion – who is fighting back?
Plus: Worrying polling in ReformWatch, everything we're reading, watching and listening to in The Lead Digest, and your chance to have your say on Labour's first year.
The roots of Labour’s welfare rebellion began to form several months ago.
In Blackpool North and Fleetwood, 41 per cent of households have at least one disabled person living in them. So new MP Lorraine Beavers was among the first to make clear that she did not support the bill saying she “will not support anything which takes money out of the pockets of disabled people.”
Chris Webb is MP for Blackpool South, where almost half of children live in poverty, and immediately made clear that the bill would push more of them to the brink. He stood by his election vow that he would “never vote for anything that makes local people poorer.”
Lancashire’s cohort of Labour MPs are not unanimous in this – Jonathan Hinder for Pendle and Clitheroe has not yet made his views clear and did not respond to our questions – but when the amendment was put forward this week, it was Lancaster and Wyre MP Cat Smith, chair of the procedure committee, among those who led the charge.
An amendment with roots in the communities most affected
The tally of Labour rebels hoping to block Keir Starmer’s proposed benefit changes is growing by the day (the latest count at time of publication is 129). And The Lancashire Lead was the first to report that the roots of this significant rebellion started in the North West.
The welfare reform bill will include proposals to make it harder for disabled people with less severe conditions to claim personal independence payment [Pip]. The bill is expected to push around 250,000 people into poverty, with Labour MPs especially feeling the backlash from constituents – many of whom represent constituencies that would be strongly impacted.
The amendment signed by the rebels would give them the opportunity to vote on a proposal to reject the bill. Cat Smith, MP for Lancaster and Wyre, was one of the 13 Labour select committee chairs who was behind the amendment.
She told The Lancashire Lead: “I, along with over 100 colleagues, are calling on the government to pause it’s legislation and work with disabled people, their carers, and charities to work up reform which will work for disabled people.
“We are calling for a pause whilst we wait for the impact assessment from the Office for Budget Responsibility so we can truly understand the impact of these changes.”
Maya Ellis, MP for the Ribble Valley, is also among those who believes this Labour government can do better than what is currently on the table.
Confirming she signed the amendment, she told us: “Of all the big plans we are making, I think we can do better than some of the timings and reductions currently proposed, particularly around removing personal independent payments for those with less severe but still debilitating needs.”
Chris Webb, MP for Blackpool South, told The Lancashire Lead: “This amendment reflects deep concern that the proposed welfare reforms, in their current form, may not adequately support those who need help most, and that more work is needed to get this right.
“I signed the amendment because I believe no major policy change should risk pushing 250,000 people – including 50,000 children – into poverty, especially without a full and transparent impact assessment.
“We need meaningful welfare reform – reform that is built on compassion, backed by evidence, and focused on lifting people up rather than leaving them behind.”
Lorraine Beavers, MP for Blackpool North and Fleetwood, said: “I publicly stated in March that I would not support the proposed Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment [PIP] Bill. I recognise the need to review the Welfare System and support people into work, while protecting those who cannot work. This is why I have supported calls for appropriate reviews, consultations, and mechanisms to revise these reforms. Unfortunately, these calls have gone unanswered, and the reforms remain the same.
“These reforms may push thousands of my own constituents into poverty. They will push hundreds of thousands of disabled people across the country into poverty. These reforms will impact most, those who cannot withstand that impact after years of austerity and a cost-of-living crisis. I cannot support welfare reforms which take money out of the pockets of disabled people.”
Lizzi Collinge, MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, said: “I can't support changes to PIP eligibility.
“We need to reduce numbers by actually preventing ill health. Our other actions in Government are all pushing the right way in getting the economy sorted and making people healthier, so it's with a heavy heart that I have taken this step.”
Paul Foster, MP for South Ribble and former leader of South Ribble Borough Council, said: “I have been a member of the Labour Party for almost 20 years and a Labour Councillor for over 17 years, successfully leading the council for over five years. I am a loyal and proud member of the Labour Party and have never before been placed in a position where I have ever had to vote against the whip. Never.
“Whilst I fully support the need to bring down the welfare bill, this has to be done in a considered and managed way to protect the most vulnerable in society.”
“While I accept that changes need to be made to the Welfare System, these changes to the parameters to PIP are unacceptable.”
Sir Mark Hendrick, MP for Preston, declined to comment at this stage but has previously written to the Secretary of State voicing his concerns about the proposals.
While his name is not on the amendment, Conservative Fylde MP Andrew Snowden was critical of the planned cuts and their failure to protect the vulnerable.
He told The Lancashire Lead: “Whilst I fully support the need to bring down the welfare bill, this has to be done in a considered and managed way to protect the most vulnerable in society, whilst moving more people who can work into full employment.
“I will be considering very closely what the government has to say at all stages as this moves through parliament, to hold them to account and oppose any rushed measures that will have terrible consequences.”
In a meeting of Labour MPs on Monday evening, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall defended the welfare reforms, arguing greater spending on benefits alone was “no route to social justice.”
“The path to fairer society – one where everyone thrives, where people who can work get the support they need, and where we protect those who cannot – that is the path we seek to build with our reforms,” Kendall said.
“Our plans are rooted in fairness – for those who need support and for taxpayers.
“They are about ensuring the welfare state survives, so there is always a safety net for those who need it.”
The government has previously shown willingness to u-turn when it comes to unpopular policy, with winter fuel payments returned to pensioners after cross-party pressure.■
The Lead is keeping an eye on Reform UK and their fellow travellers. Get in touch on X, Bluesky and Instagram with tips and stories. We especially want to hear from readers whose local council is now run by Farage’s followers.
One of Reform UK's leading Nottinghamshire county councillors, James Walker-Gurley, found himself living my recurring nightmare in real life: taking an exam he hadn’t studied for. In an interview with Notts Live, Walker-Gurley blundered every question he didn’t have a script for, stating numerous times that he has “no idea”. Neither do we, mate.
And another one bites the dust! Last week, we shared that Reform had lost nine councillors in six weeks. Well, you can make that 10 now that Warwickshire County Council boss Rob Howard has quit citing health reasons — and he’s left a teenager in charge. 18-year-old George Finch sums up his politics as, “Brexit, sovereignty and a strong and united family unit.” And, according to his register of interests, this is his first job.
Farage is a wolf in sheep’s clothing — a fact exemplified no more than by his latest ‘Robin Hood-style’ tax policy, which would allow non-domiciles to avoid some UK taxes by paying a £250,000 fee, the revenue from which would be handed down to the poorest in society (allegedly). Non-doms would pay the fee for a new Britannia Card and in return not be taxed on wealth, inheritance, income or capital gains earned abroad. The policy has been branded “bonkers” and “too cheap” by experts. Obviously.
A Reform councillor in Staffordshire, Mike Broom, has been caught out accepting a gift from a ‘family friend’, who also happens to be the wife and business partner of Wayne Johnston of WJ Group Infrastructure, who have a contract with Staffordshire County Council. So, how was the Kylie Minogue concert, Mike?
In Wales, the party has been accused of using its candidate selection process for the Senedd election as a money making opportunity after it was revealed that would-be MSs will be charged £200 to be assessed, Nation.Cymru reported. Reform says the fee will cover criminal background checks and the cost of hiring a venue and providing food for Senedd hopefuls during the assessment day.
While a lot of the news we share on ReformWatch is laughable, worrying new polling suggests that if a general election were to be held tomorrow, Reform would likely win. An IPSOS poll of 1,180 people showed that Reform had taken a nine point lead over labour, with 34 per cent of the vote share, compared to 25 per cent. A bigger poll (11,500 people), by YouGov, found that Reform would win 271 seats. That’s a big jump from 4! Labour, meanwhile, would secure just 178 seats, less than half of the 411 it won last year, and the Tories would fall to fourth place behind the Liberal Democrats, with just 46 seats.
The Lead Digest
This week Zoë wrote about the man of the moment, New York’s Zohran Mamdani, and what Britain’s left could stand to learn from him.
Padraig loved Martin Robbins’ piece on HS2 and the slow decay of Britain, published on his Substack The Value of Nothing — a compelling argument for whydelivery and execution (or lack thereof) is the current most important issue in British politics.
Reminder: The Windrush Caribbean Festival is running until the end of the week. We recommend catching Guinness Punch, a short drama by Peter L Pinnock that explores intergenerational tensions in Caribbean families and seamlessly weaves in Jamaican patois to the dialogue. And documentary, Roots of Resilience: Stories of Caribbean Women in Agriculture, a portrait of St. Lucia’s agricultural journey, celebrating the strength of its women and the enduring spirit of a community deeply connected to its land.
Natalie enjoyed this realistic account of doing Glastonbury sober – "How did I fare sober? Well, if I’m totally honest, it was hit and miss." – particularly as she becomes increasingly sober-curious (read: her hangovers are becoming untenable).
Natalie and Zoë also recommended this fresh, nuanced take on the politics of Black hair by Precious Adesina – featuring some really interesting insight from the brilliant Emma Dabiri.
Ella is listening to the Guardian’s Today in Focus interview with Adam Curtis on his series of new films about Britain. He makes the compelling argument (and confirms Ella’s own philosophy) that ideas are a huge driving force behind the trajectory of the world.
Finally, Luke flagged this amusing MP (in)visibility leaderboard, which shows just how well known each MP is in the UK. Apparently MPs can’t stop talking about it.
One year of Keir Starmer’s Labour government
As we approach the first anniversary of Labour coming into power, we at The Lead want to know what you think of this government.
How are they performing on the key issues that matter to you? From the economy and cost of living crisis, to the NHS, education, housing and migration – is this government doing better or worse than you hoped this time last year? Now is your chance to rate them.
We want to know what you think. Use our reader survey to tell us exactly how well you think Labour are doing. Use the ranking system and then add your comments. In the next few weeks we will let you know the results and see if any patterns have emerged as our Westminster Editor Zoë Grünewald digs into a year on from that general election triumph and what’s gone right, and what hasn’t….