Starmer suspends rebellious MPs

Sir Keir Starmer has carried out a purge of troublesome backbenchers as he suspended a number of MPs.

Rachael Maskell, who spearheaded plans to halt the Government’s welfare reforms, has lost the whip, alongside Neil Duncan-Jordan, Brian Leishman and Chris Hinchliff.

All voted against the Government’s benefits reforms as part of a wider rebellion earlier this month, and all aside from Ms Maskell were first elected at last year’s election.

The York Central MP said she had been suspended for “standing up for my constituents” over the benefits plans.

Ms Maskell said she had a “positive conversation” with the chief whip, adding: “He knows my heart and why I did what I did.

“I explained there are lines I can’t cross because of where I come from in politics with my faith.”

‘Upset’

She said she was “not angry” but “upset that we are in this place because I believe we are better than that as a party. I believe that strength comes from the backbenches.”

Mr Duncan-Jordan has said he remains “as committed as ever” to Labour values, but accepted that voting against the welfare plans “could come at a cost”.

In a statement, the MP for Poole said: “Since being elected, I have consistently spoken up for my constituents on a range of issues, including most recently on cuts to disability benefits.

“I understood this could come at a cost, but I couldn’t support making disabled people poorer.

“Although I’ve been suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party today, I’ve been part of the Labour and trade union movement for 40 years and remain as committed as ever to its values.”

Mr Leishman said he is a “proud Labour member” and remains “committed to the party”.

The office of the MP for Alloa and Grangemouth confirmed he had had the whip “temporarily suspended”.

“I wish to remain a Labour MP and deliver the positive change many voters are craving,” Mr Leishman said in a statement.

“I have voted against the Government on issues because I want to effectively represent and be the voice for communities across Alloa and Grangemouth.

“I firmly believe that it is not my duty as an MP to make people poorer, especially those that have suffered because of austerity and its dire consequences.”

Mr Hinchliff said: “I remain proud to have been elected as a Labour MP and I hope in time to return to the Labour benches.

“In the meantime I will continue to fight every day for the needs of my constituents and nothing will change in how I engage with and represent those I was elected to serve.”

‘Devastating’

A Labour backbencher described the suspensions as “devastating” and said they did not signal a willingness from the Government to reset relations with the parliamentary party.

As well as the suspensions, three other MPs have been removed from trade envoy jobs: Rosena Allin-Khan, Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Mohammad Yasin.

It is understood that those who have been suspended have had the whip removed due to repeated infringements when it comes to party discipline.

Mr Duncan-Jordan raised concerns about the Government’s changes to the winter fuel allowance before the U-turn while Mr Leishman has been a critic of the Government’s response to the Grangemouth closure.

Mr Hinchliff led a rebellion against ministers’ planning Bill over environmental concerns.

Desperate

Shadow minister Richard Holden claimed that the suspensions are “a desperate attempt to distract from yet another surge in inflation today”.

Richard Burgon, who lost the Labour whip last year after he rebelled on the two-child benefit cap but has since had it reinstated said that those who have been suspended “were simply standing up for their disabled constituents and following their consciences”.

In a statement on X, he added: “Challenging policies that harm our communities, that damage Labour’s support and that make a Reform government much more likely is a key role of Labour backbenchers.

“The Prime Minister should be listening to these voices, not punishing them.”

The Fire Brigades Union have called the move an “outrageous and authoritarian act” and claimed the Labour leadership have “learned nothing from the huge outpouring of anger that the cuts to welfare have provoked”.

General secretary Steve Wright added: “”Instead of abandoning the benefit cuts that will force hundreds of thousands of families into poverty, Keir Starmer has chosen to purge Labour MPs who sought to halt this disastrous policy.”