No 10 fails to rule out tax rises to pay for Starmer’s welfare reforms climbdown
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Tax rise warning as Starmer aims to curb welfare reform rebellion
- Labour prime minister Sir Keir Starmer is in crisis over proposed £5bn welfare reforms, facing a rebellion from over 120 of his own MPs.
- The reforms aim to restrict eligibility for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and limit sickness-related Universal Credit (UC) to save money and encourage employment.
- Sir Keir is considering concessions to avert the rebellion, but a climbdown would raise questions about funding, potentially requiring tax rises or cuts elsewhere.
- Rebel MPs are demanding significant changes, with some stating they will only accept the bill being pulled entirely due to concerns about hardship for disabled people.
- The vote on the welfare reforms is scheduled for Tuesday, with some rebels indicating that offered concessions might be sufficient for the bill to pass its second reading.