UK Politics

Tear rolls down Rachel Reeves’ cheek during Prime Minister’s QuestionsDowning Street has insisted Rachel Reeves has Sir Keir Starmer’s full backing after she was seen crying during PMQs.Ms Reeves wiped away tears as Kemi Badenoch told the Commons she looked “absolutely miserable”. Labour minister Ellie Reeves then appeared to be holding her sister’s hand as she left the chamber on Wednesday.It has been claimed by ministerial sources that the tears were a result of an argument with Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle prior to PMQs for which they said he has since apologised. The Speaker’s office has declined to comment.Her tears came as the prime minister came under attack in a fiery PMQs over his failure to deliver £5bn of welfare cuts, which were a crucial part of the spending review.Sir Keir refused to guarantee Ms Reeves’ future as chancellor when pressed by Ms Badenoch amid growing speculation over a reshuffle to regain his authority.He also failed to rule out tax rises.Comment: It’s hard to see how Rachel Reeves can surviveUntil lunchtime today, it appeared that humiliated Keir Starmer was the biggest political victim of the government’s welfare U-turn. The extraordinary and piteous sight of chancellor Rachel Reeves in tears in the Commons has changed that.She rightly deserves sympathy for the huge personal toll the welfare revolt has clearly had on her. From the moment Labour was elected, Reeves has staked everything on balancing the nation’s books and filling the Conservatives’ “£22bn black hole”.However, the welfare rebellion by her party has blown a further £5bn hole in her plans, making it impossible for her to keep her pledge of no further tax rises. The fact that more than 100 of her MPs were prepared, in effect, to treat her and her strategy with contempt, forcing her to rip it up, was a big enough blow to her self-esteem.Simon Walters writes:It’s hard to see how Rachel Reeves can surviveThe chancellor deserves our sympathy, writes Simon Walters, but resignation may now be inevitable. And her boss’s credibility has also taken a huge hit – the prime minister remains in office but not in powerTara Cobham2 July 2025 15:53SNP Westminster leader expresses support for Reeves after chancellor cries in PMQsThe SNP Westminster leader has expressed support for Rachel Reeves after the chancellor cried during PMQs.In a post on X, Stephen Flynn MP said: “Like almost all MPs I don’t know why the Chancellor was upset in the Chamber today, but I do hope she is okay and back to her duties this afternoon.“Seeing another person in distress is always very difficult, and we are wishing her well.”Tara Cobham2 July 2025 15:36Starmer ‘absolutely’ has confidence in his own judgement, Downing St saysDowning Street said Sir Keir Starmer “absolutely” has confidence in his own judgment.Asked the question by reporters, the prime minister’s press secretary said: “Yes absolutely. This is a prime minister who in the opposition picked the Labour Party off the floor, turned it around and secured the mandate that we received last year.“This is a prime minister who… is taking a phased approach to government. The first phase is fixing the foundations, including the £22 billion black hole the Tories left, invested record amounts in the NHS and delivered double the amount of appointments that we committed to in the election, frozen fuel duty… and now we’re delivering fairness and security through our plan for change.”Tara Cobham2 July 2025 15:30How Starmer went from defiant to defeated as he scrambled to get his bill over the lineTimms is a veteran politician of 31 years in parliament, stoic and understated in nature, thoughtful and careful in speech. He was in many ways the least likely character on the stage to deliver a moment of such theatre.The Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:2 July 2025 15:27Sources reveal reason for Rachel Reeves argument with the SpeakerThe Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:Rachel Reeves’ tears all the way through PMQs have been the talking point of a day where the government appears to be spiralling out of control after the welfare reform debacle.It emerged that the chancellor had an altercation with Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle on her way into the chamber.Now it is being suggested that the reason for the Speaker’s ire was that Ms Reeves and her team slowed down Treasury questions on Tuesday to try to lessen the scrutiny.Neither side has formally commented on the supposed argument.Tara Cobham2 July 2025 15:16Comment | Watching Rachel Reeves crying in the Commons was quietly devastatingOur Voices Editor Victoria Richards writes: Imagine being Rachel Reeves, for a moment. You are sitting in the House of Commons, surrounded by your peers; there to help defend your government’s decisions on welfare reforms after nights of heavy in-fighting and rebellion.The weight of being the first female chancellor in British history lies heavy on your shoulders; your already watered-down plans to make savings with welfare cuts, even more so. I must not crumble, you might tell yourself.Read the full comment piece below: Jabed Ahmed2 July 2025 15:11Jenrick posts brutal social media video saying Reeves’ ‘career is dead’Robert Jenrick has released a brutal social media video saying Rachel Reeves’s “career is dead”, just two hours after the chancellor was seen crying on the Commons frontbenches.Speaking as he tore up a copy of the government’s welfare reform bill, following last night’s chaotic U-turn, the shadow justice secretary said: “Rachel Reeves’ benefits bill is dead and so is her career.”He added: “She’s been humiliated by her own backbenches and forced into her most embarrassing U-turn yet. By her own metric, she’s crashed the economy, she’s lost the confidence of the markets, and now it seems she’s lost the confidence of the prime minister too. It’s time for Reeves to go.”Millie Cooke2 July 2025 14:59Live: MPs vote on banning Palestine Action activist group under anti-terror laws[embedded content]Jabed Ahmed2 July 2025 14:43UK bonds suffer biggest selloff since October 2022 as worries build over ReevesUK government bond prices fell by the most since October 2022 and the pound has tumbled after Rachel Reeves was seen in tears during PMQs.The chancellor has repeatedly emphasised her commitment to fiscal rules, limiting the amount Britain will borrow, and, analysts said, the market moves reflected fears that she would be replaced, creating even more uncertainty.The yield on the 10-year government bond, or gilt, rose as much 22 basis points on the day at one point, to 4.681%, as investors ditched UK debt.That would be the largest one-day jump in the British benchmark yield since October 2022, in the aftermath of Liz Truss’ chaotic fiscal announcement that cost her premiership.The selloff hit the entire gilt curve. Thirty-year yields rose nearly 22 basis points, and 2-year yields rose 11 bps.Sterling dropped by more than 1% against the dollar, set for its largest one-day decline since mid-June and also weakened sharply against the Euro. Jabed Ahmed2 July 2025 14:42No10 says Starmer in constant engagement with MPsDowning Street insisted there was “constant engagement” between the Prime Minister and Labour MPs, amid calls for a reset in relations with backbenchers.The Prime Minister’s press secretary said: “There is constant engagement with the PLP (Parliamentary Labour Party).“The Prime Minister meets regularly with the Parliamentary Labour Party.”She added: “He meets regularly with the parliamentary committee, which represents backbench MPs. That engagement has been consistent and will continue to happen.”Jabed Ahmed2 July 2025 14:32 More

The UK has been accused of “hypocrisy” over its lack of high-level participation at a key global development finance summit, on top of cuts to Britain’s aid budget – while talking up its role in helping lower-income nations. The accusations have been made at the fourth Financing for Development Conference (FfD4), a once-a-decade summit happening all week in Seville, Southern Spain, where delegates are aiming to tackle the perennial problem of how to help developing countries access the money they need. Thirty-two African countries currently spend more on debt repayments than on healthcare, and 25 African countries spend more on debt payments than on education, an issue that activists say needs urgent action.Some 50 world leaders are due at FfD4, including Emmanuel Macron of France, Mark Carney of Canada, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. The UK, however, has only sent a government minister in the form of Baroness Chapman, the international development minister. “A level of ambition from the UK government would have been demonstrated clearly by sending higher level participation such as the prime minister or Foreign Secretary,” Lydia Darby, a senior policy advisor at Save the Children, told The Independent. Ahead of fDf4, writing in The Independent, Baroness Chapman called for a “new era for global aid and development”, that would see developing countries helped in building their own tax systems, and greater investment in developing countries from the private sector, among other measures. Hannah Bond, Co-CEO at ActionAid UK, said that it is “hypocritical” for the UK to talk about “fair finance” while cutting overseas aid.“If the UK truly cares about fair finance, it must honour its overseas aid commitments, tackle unfair debts, and pay its fair share in addressing the climate crisis,” Bond said. “Without this, talk of fair finance is nothing more than empty PR.” Baroness Chapman’s appearance comes off the back of the UK cutting its foreign aid budget from 0.5 per cent to 0.3 per cent of Gross National Income (GNI) – which is expected to reduce foreign aid by £6.2 billion by 2025.Alex Farley, from advocacy group Bond, said that it is “impossible” to see how the UK can deliver on existing funding commitments, respond to humanitarian crisis, and tackle climate change, following he 0.5 to 0.3 per cent cut. “Let alone undo the damage these cuts have done to our reputation and credibility with countries,” he added. “It would be nice to hear the government expressing regret for its cuts to the aid budget, rather than blithely claiming that they are somehow doing developing countries a favour,” Michael Jacobs, from the think tank ODI, told The Independent. Mr Jacobs added that the claim that private sector money can substitute public funds is “silly at best, disingenuous at worst”. This is because “the private sector wants returns, while much aid – for health, schools, sanitation, climate adaptation – doesn’t make a profit, so is not investable”, he said. An attendee watches proceedings during the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development, in Seville, Spain More

Watch live as Sir Keir Starmer faces Kemi Badenoch at PMQs on Wednesday (2 July), hours after MPs voted to pass the prime minister’s watered-down welfare bill.The bill, which would see changes made to personal independence payment (PIP) and the health-related element of universal credit, went to a crunch vote on Tuesday evening.It passed its second reading by 335 ayes to 260 noes, a majority of 75, with 49 Labour MPs voting against the welfare cuts, which they believe could push people further into poverty.On Monday, in a bid to convince rebel MPs to back the changes, the PM watered down his original welfare plans to minimise the impact on existing claimants.He will likely take a grilling from the opposition leader, who slammed the bill as a “total waste of time”. Writing on X, Ms Badenoch said: “It effectively saves £0, helps no one into work, and does NOT control spending. It’s pointless.”Sir Keir, who is fresh off facing his largest Commons rebellion to date, could also see backlash from opposing Labour MPs.The bill fallout comes just days after Labour celebrates its one-year anniversary since entering government. More

The leader of the rebel Labour MPs who forced Sir Keir Starmer to abandon his welfare reforms has called for a wealth tax to meet the £5bn cost of the U turn.On Tuesday, the prime minister suffered the biggest blow to his leadership since coming into power a year ago after he was forced to shelve a key plank of his controversial benefit cuts in order to get them through parliament.While his welfare reform bill passed its second reading by 335 votes to 260 – a majority of 75 – the prime minister still suffered the largest rebellion of his premiership so far, with 42 Labour MPs voting to reject the legislation.Rachael Maskell, who led the backbench Labour rebellion which forced further changes to the reforms on Tuesday, suggested that as much as £24bn a year could be raised by increases in capital gains tax and other measures.Rachael Maskell called for a wealth tax More

Sir Keir Starmer forced the tattered remnants of his welfare reforms through the Commons on Tuesday night, staving off what would have been an embarrassing defeat. But the prime minister can barely say he won the battle, and may have lit the touchpaper on a wider war for the future of the Labour Party. The unedifying spectacle of a leader with a huge majority after just a year in Downing Street chopping and changing one of his flagship bills to buy off backbench rebels has badly damaged his authority. Worse, a bill that was once set to save the taxpayer £5bn will now end up costing £100m by the end of the decade, leaving Chancellor Rachel Reeves with a gaping hole to fill ahead of the Budget this autumn. The director of the influential Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said the passage of the bill through its second reading was “not a triumph”. Sir Keir Starmer gave in to backbench MPs More

Sir Keir Starmer’s welfare bill has managed to scrape past its second reading as he fended off what is believed to be the most significant rebellion since he became prime minister a year ago.The bill passed its second reading by 335 ayes to 260 noes, a majority of 75, with 49 Labour MPs voting against the welfare cuts which have caused controversy. Disability minister Sir Stephen Timms announced a last-ditch concession that plans to restrict eligibility for personal independence payments (PIP) – which had been the central pillar of the government’s reforms – would not take place until after a review of the benefit had concluded.The government had initially planned to change the eligibility criteria for disability benefits for all new claimants from November 2026 but now the new system will not come into force until the review has concluded.It comes just days after the government watered down the legislation for the first time on Thursday, excluding all existing claimants from changes to PIP in a chaotic U-turn.Sir Keir’s welfare bill has continuously caused controversy as a growing rebel camp, led at the time by Dame Meg Hillier, putting forward an initial amendment which forced the government to U-turn from its initial plans. While she voted to back the legislation, almost 50 Labour MPs expressed their discontent with the bill still. One key voice in the ‘noes’ was MP Ms Maria Tidball, born with a congenital disability affecting all four limbs, who broke down in tears as she delivered an impassioned speech criticising the welfare cuts. Another key rebel, Rachel Maskell, said disabled people will have been worried watching the debate.The MP for York Central said: “I’m obviously really sad that the Bill went through but I think my greatest sadness is that disabled people will have been looking on and seeing Parliament debating their futures, and I think they’ll be incredibly distressed when they see the way that Parliament was today.“That’s the thing that tugs at me, because I think ultimately we’ve got huge responsibility to disabled people and they weren’t served well by the department today.”Sir Stephen Timms later said, in response to concerns over a two tier system, that it was “completely normal in social security.”“PIP replaced DLA (disability living allowance) in 2013 but half a million adults are still on DLA today. That doesn’t cause problems. Parallel running is normal, and actually it’s often the fairest way to make a major change.”Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall said welfare reform was particularly “difficult” for Labour because the party cared “passionately” about the subject.Asked what the main lessons were from the backbench rebellion over proposed cuts, she told broadcasters: “Welfare reform is always really difficult, perhaps especially for Labour governments.“It’s something we care passionately about.” More

Sir Keir Starmer’s welfare bill has managed to scrape past its second reading as he fended off what is believed to be the most significant rebellion since he became prime minister a year ago.The bill passed its second reading by 335 ayes to 260 noes, a majority of 75, with 49 Labour MPs voting against the welfare cuts which have caused controversy. Disability minister Sir Stephen Timms announced a last-ditch concession that plans to restrict eligibility for personal independence payments (PIP) – which had been the central pillar of the government’s reforms – would not take place until after a review of the benefit had concluded.The government had initially planned to change the eligibility criteria for disability benefits for all new claimants from November 2026 but now the new system will not come into force until the review has concluded.It comes just days after the government watered down the legislation for the first time on Thursday, excluding all existing claimants from changes to PIP in a chaotic U-turn.Sir Keir’s welfare bill has continuously caused controversy as a growing rebel camp, led at the time by Dame Meg Hillier, putting forward an initial amendment which forced the government to U-turn from its initial plans. While she voted to back the legislation, almost 50 Labour MPs expressed their discontent with the bill still. One key voice in the ‘noes’ was MP Ms Maria Tidball, born with a congenital disability affecting all four limbs, who broke down in tears as she delivered an impassioned speech criticising the welfare cuts. Another key rebel, Rachel Maskell, said disabled people will have been worried watching the debate.The MP for York Central said: “I’m obviously really sad that the Bill went through but I think my greatest sadness is that disabled people will have been looking on and seeing Parliament debating their futures, and I think they’ll be incredibly distressed when they see the way that Parliament was today.“That’s the thing that tugs at me, because I think ultimately we’ve got huge responsibility to disabled people and they weren’t served well by the department today.”Sir Stephen Timms later said, in response to concerns over a two tier system, that it was “completely normal in social security.”“PIP replaced DLA (disability living allowance) in 2013 but half a million adults are still on DLA today. That doesn’t cause problems. Parallel running is normal, and actually it’s often the fairest way to make a major change.”Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall said welfare reform was particularly “difficult” for Labour because the party cared “passionately” about the subject.Asked what the main lessons were from the backbench rebellion over proposed cuts, she told broadcasters: “Welfare reform is always really difficult, perhaps especially for Labour governments.“It’s something we care passionately about.” More

Sir Keir Starmer has suffered the biggest blow to his leadership since coming into power a year ago after he was forced to abandon a key plank of his controversial benefit cuts in order to get them through parliament.While his welfare reform bill passed its second reading by 335 votes to 260 – a majority of 75 – the prime minister still suffered the largest rebellion of his premiership so far, with 49 Labour MPs voting to reject the legislation. It came after a last-ditch announcement that plans to restrict eligibility for personal independence payments (PIP) – which had been the central pillar of the government’s reforms – were being dropped.Keir Starmer’s authority suffers a major setback on Tuesday More