Starmer defends his record in power as biggest revolt of his premiership looms

Sir Keir Starmer has defended his Government’s record over its first year in office, all while he faces the largest revolt of his premiership.

The Prime Minister insisted at a meeting of senior ministers that his team could look back with a “real sense of pride and achievement” as the July 5 anniversary of his first year in office nears.

The UK Government’s work has focused on giving working people a “chance to thrive, not just survive”, a Downing Street spokesman said, as Labour backbenchers continue to threaten a rebellion over welfare reforms they insist will have a negative impact on disabled people.

Rebellion

The welfare reform Bill will have its first airing in the Commons on Tuesday, and some Labour backbenchers continue to say they will vote to halt the legislation, after a much larger rebellion was quelled by ministers last week.

Sir Keir opened the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning by telling senior ministers the welfare reforms are “designed to help those who can work into employment and ensure dignity and security for those who can’t work”, a No 10 spokesman said.

“He then reflected on the last year in office, saying we could all rightly look back with a real sense of pride and achievement,” the spokesman added.

No 10 pointed to the three trade deals struck with India, the US, and the EU, the extra investment in the spending review, and a cut in NHS waiting lists among the Government’s achievements one year on.

The spokesman added: “He said the Government’s work is all designed and focused on improving the lives of working people and giving them the chance to thrive, not just survive, and the Government should be proud of those achievements as a team.”

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds had earlier urged Labour MPs to back the reforms package, and warned that retreating entirely from them would mean losing the chance to “make any changes for the better whatsoever” and undermining “public support”.

U-turn

“I’d ask (colleagues) to support the Government on that basis, because clearly what we’ve got here is something which is better than the existing system,” Mr Reynolds told Sky News on Tuesday morning.

Ministers hope a partial U-turn on the benefit cuts, which will protect existing claimants of personal independence payments (Pip) and the health element of universal credit, are enough to win over Labour rebels.

Ahead of the Universal Credit and Personal Independent Payment Bill’s second reading in the Commons on Tuesday evening, 39 Labour backbenchers have signed an amendment aimed at halting its progress.

Leading rebel Rachael Maskell has warned “many more” have told her they still plan to vote against the Government’s plans than those who have signed up.

Asked whether MPs would lose the whip for voting against the Government, Mr Reynolds said he was “not aware of anything like that” but “those issues are for the chief whip”.

To see off the threat of far greater rebellion, the UK Government last week softened the impact of its changes to protect some 370,000 existing Pip claimants who had been set to lose out following reassessment.

Some 126 Labour MPs had signed that previous “reasoned amendment” proposed by Treasury Committee chairwoman Dame Meg Hillier, which would have stopped the legislation if approved.

Concessions

Ministers also committed to a review of the system, involving disabled people and led by disabilities minister Sir Stephen Timms, and unfreezing the higher UC rate for those already claiming the health-related element.

But critics have argued the concessions risk creating a “three-tier” system of disparity between existing and new claimants, as well as any future changes that emerge as a result of the Timms review.

Facing questions from broadcasters on Tuesday morning, Mr Reynolds insisted it was “entirely normal” for existing entitlements to be “grandfathered” during major changes to the welfare system.