Starmer Forced to Compromise on Welfare Bill Amid Labour Rebellion
Following significant opposition from within his own party, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was forced to make major concessions on the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill. The controversial legislation, which proposed deep cuts and stricter eligibility criteria for several benefits, faced a rebellion from a large number of Labour MPs.
The most contentious part of the bill was a planned overhaul of Personal Independence Payments (PIP), a benefit for individuals with long-term physical or mental health conditions. The original proposal would have introduced a new, tougher points-based assessment system, making it much harder for many to qualify.
Facing a rebellion of over 100 Labour MPs, Starmer's government offered a series of compromises to prevent a damaging defeat in the House of Commons. The key concessions included:
Protection for existing PIP claimants: The government agreed to exempt all current PIP claimants from the stricter new criteria. The more stringent rules would only apply to new claims from November 2026.
A "co-production" review: The government committed to a comprehensive review of the PIP assessment process, which will be conducted in collaboration with disability groups and other stakeholders. Any changes to eligibility will not be implemented until this review is complete.
Universal Credit safeguards: The government also made concessions regarding proposed cuts to the Universal Credit "health" element. These cuts will now be applied only to new claimants, while existing recipients will have their payments protected.
Despite these compromises, the bill still faced a rebellion from a number of Labour MPs who argued that the changes were not sufficient to prevent more people from falling into poverty. However, the amendments were enough to secure the bill's passage through its final stages in the Commons. The episode highlighted the deep divisions within the Labour Party on welfare policy and was widely seen as a humbling moment for the Prime Minister.
I'm Aisha shehu
Talksocialtalka News
