LONDON – A meaningful faction within the Labour party is mounting opposition to the government’s proposed welfare reforms,despite efforts by ministers to sway backbenchers. Over 130 members of Parliament,with 122 from Labour,have endorsed an amendment that could lead to a vote rejecting plans to cut £5 billion annually from disability and sickness benefits by 2030.

Reports indicate that cabinet ministers are actively contacting Labour MPs, urging them to withdraw their support for the amendment. So far, Samantha Niblett is the only Labour MP to have removed her name from the list.

Despite internal opposition,Sir Keir Starmer has affirmed his commitment to “press ahead” with the welfare changes.

The amendment has garnered support from both newly elected MPs from the 2024 intake and seasoned parliamentarians. labour MP Helen Hayes, a signatory of the amendment, dismissed suggestions that it represented a confidence vote, stating, “that’s absolutely not the case.”

“Nobody who has signed this amendment wants to be in a position next week of voting against the government,” she said.

“We’re asking the government, after many weeks of sharing our concerns privately, to listen to our concerns to avoid a situation next week where there’s conflict.”

Among the signatories are John McDonnell and Andrew Gwynne, both elected as Labour MPs but currently suspended by the party. The amendment also has the backing of members from Northern Ireland’s political parties and rosie duffield, who now sits as an independent after leaving Labour.

Senior cabinet figures, including Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Health Secretary Wes Streeting, are believed to have contacted MPs to persuade them to support the government’s position.

Henry Zeffman, a political correspondent, noted that some cabinet members were “taken aback by quite how sour the mood is on this issue and fearful that might bleed into a broader problem for this Labour leadership”.

According to a source, “Once you take a breath, it is better to save some of the welfare package than lose all of it.”

Burnham Urges Government to Heed PLP

“When the PLP delivers its collective wisdom in such numbers it is invariably right, and it is right on this,”

Andy Burnham, the Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester and former MP, has advised the government to pay attention to the views of its MPs in the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP).He stated, “When the PLP delivers its collective wisdom in such numbers it is invariably right, and it is right on this.”

Burnham added, “When there was such unease that was so widespread and actually from really good people, from all parts of the party, the names, they were from all wings of the party.”

“If I look back,if the government that I was in,had listened to the PLP it would have been a better government,because it would have made better decisions.”

Parliament is scheduled to vote on the government’s welfare reform plans next week.

Labour MP Jake Richardson, a supporter of the government’s stance, described the current welfare system as “simply unsustainable”.

“I would gently urge colleagues to step back, look at this unsustainable welfare situation we have at the moment,” he said.

“They cannot like all the nice, easy spending money parts of welfare reform without accepting all the tough decisions that come with that.”

The latest British Social Attitudes report indicates that 45% of respondents believe there should be increased spending on disability benefits, marking the first time this figure has fallen below half since the question was first posed in 1998.

The decision on whether to vote on the specific amendment rests with the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay hoyle. However, the likelihood of a vote has increased with additional support from MPs from parties such as the SDLP and the DUP.

The welfare reform bill, officially titled the Global credit and personal Independence Payment Bill, includes proposals that would tighten the criteria for disabled individuals with less severe conditions to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

Speaking on Tuesday ahead of a meeting of Nato leaders, Sir Keir said he planned to “press ahead” with the welfare reforms despite the objections from within his own party.

He said the current welfare system “traps people” on benefits, and was set to fuel “unsustainable” rises in the cost to taxpayers.