UK

Sir Keir Starmer is braced for the biggest rebellion of his time as Labour leader as furious backbench MPs rail against his benefit cuts. The prime minister came under fresh pressure on Tuesday, just hours before parliament votes on his welfare reforms, as two rebel MPs took to the airwaves to condemn the controversial bill. South Shields MP Emma Lewell highlighted a government impact assessment warning that 150,000 people would be driven into poverty by the changes, adding: “I could never walk through the voting lobby to plunge 150,000 people into poverty.” And housing committee chairman Florence Eshalomi told the BBC: “Is this how we should really be making legislation? Rushed policy is bad policy.” She refused to say whether she will vote against the government’s bill, but her comments were the latest indication that Sir Keir’s £2.5bn U-turn has failed to stave off a mass rebellion over the scaled back package of cuts. Keir Starmer is facing the biggest rebellion of his leadership More

British doctors are set to be prioritised for NHS roles under new plans to make the health service “self-sufficient” in staffing, according to reports.Labour’s 10-year plan for the NHS is due to be announced this week, with ministers vowing to deliver a service “fit for the future”.The government says the plan will help rebuild the health system and tackle widening inequalities across the country.The plan will pledge to limit overseas recruitment to no more than one in 10 NHS hires, aiming to overhaul a system where two-thirds of new doctors currently come from abroad, according to The Times.Doctors will be directed to make returning to work a key focus of treatment, as ministers try to reduce the growing benefits bill, according to leaked documents seen by the publication.Work coaches will be placed in GP surgeries, and local NHS leaders will be set targets to support patients back into employment.Fundamental changes on the way for the NHS More

The Government is set to trial an AI chatbot to help people negotiate its 700,000-page Gov.uk website.The chatbot is expected to become part of the new Gov.uk app, which launches on Tuesday.The initial “public beta” version, which is still being worked on, is intended to allow users to access information and support without having to search the internet each time.But ministers expect to add new features, including a chatbot due later this year that the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said would “help people get answers to niche questions more quickly”.Other functions, including applying for benefits, will be added later.Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said the new app “shows for the first time how this Government is overhauling taxpayer-funded services”.He said: “By putting public services in your pocket, we will do away with clunky paper forms and hours spent on hold, so you can immediately get the information you need and continue on with the rest of your day.”Since coming to power, ministers have pushed for government departments to make greater use of technology, with Sir Keir Starmer calling on his Cabinet to incorporate AI into their departments in a major speech at the start of the year.Describing Tuesday’s launch as “just the start”, Mr Kyle added that the future AI chatbot would provide “a reliable answer immediately” to questions about government services.He said the app would also provide “personal notifications” to remind people when their MOT was due or when to register to vote.The Government is also expected to introduce a new online “wallet” later in the year that will include digital versions of official documents, starting with the veterans’ card and including a pilot for a digital drivers licence. More

Sir Keir Starmer still faces a damaging rebellion after ministers admitted that 150,000 people will still be pushed into poverty by benefit cuts.With the prime minister’s authority on the line, his work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall unveiled amendments to benefit reforms on Monday in a bid to persuade Labour backbenchers not to vote down the bill in a crunch vote on Tuesday.Outside the Commons, the plans were also strongly criticised by senior figures including Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan. Mr Burnham said: “What’s been announced is half a U-turn, a 50 per cent U-turn. In my view I’d hope that MPs vote against the whole bill when it comes before parliament.” Sir Sadiq said: “I think it drives too many people into poverty. It leads to a situation where those who need a safety net don’t have one. But also, I’ve met too many Londoners who have dignity, who do work, who through no fault of their own, need support from the state, and they’re really worried they’ll lose that.”Education secretary Bridget Phillipson was forced to defend Sir Keir’s record, insisting he will lead Labour into the next general election. In an interview with The Independent days before Labour marks its first year in power, she also said government had its “ups and downs” and suggested better times were ahead. More than 130 Labour backbenchers had signed an amendment that would have effectively killed the legislation, but ministers were hoping a last-minute pledge to protect current Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and other changes would end the rebellion.Liz Kendall during her statement in the Commons on Monday More

Andy Burnham has called on Labour MPs to vote down the government’s welfare reforms as Sir Keir Starmer attempts to stave off a backbench rebellion.The Mayor of Greater Manchester said the prime minister said the changes to the welfare system will create “unfairness and divide” amongst disabled people.He also said the prime minister had only performed a “half U-turn” which did not go far enough. Mr Burnham’s comments will be seen as a direct challenge to the PM and an indication of his possible future leadership ambitions.Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall confirmed a number of concessions to the government’s welfare cuts on Monday in an effort to head off a major rebellion by Labour backbenchers, including protecting people who claim personal independence payments (Pip) from new eligibility criteria.The U-turn means those currently in receipt of PIP and Universal Credit will not be affected by proposed cuts, but those claiming in the future will receive less money.However, speaking at an event at Glastonbury festival, Mr Burnham said: “What’s been announced is half a U-turn, a 50% U-turn. In my view, I’d still hope MPs vote against the whole bill when it comes before parliament.”Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall confirmed a number of concessions to the government’s welfare cuts on Monday More

Sometimes a hushed Commons chamber greets a statement of great significance – the death of a national figure, a resignation statement by a senior minister, war or a tragedy.But this was not the case for Liz Kendall whose statement to the House on last minute changes to her much criticised welfare bill was met with a prickly uncomfortable silence and barely an audible sound of approval from the Labour benches behind her.The work and pensions secretary had in essence been forced to come to the Commons a day early to outline her changes to the welfare bill made in desperation because more than 130 Labour MPs had signed an amendment which would kill it.Starmer with Kendall More

A cabinet minister has rallied to the defence of Keir Starmer ahead of a crunch vote on his welfare reforms widely seen as a test of his authority.Bridget Phillipson insisted the prime minister would lead her party into the next general election, amid growing questions over his future. In an interview with The Independent days before Labour marks its first year in power, the education secretary also said government had its “ups and downs” and suggested better times were ahead. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson (Anthony Devlin/PA) More

Related video: Angela Rayner insists welfare cuts vote will happen on TuesdayThe government has admitted that Sir Keir Starmer’s benefit cuts will still push 150,000 people into relative poverty, despite the prime minister watering down the measures.An assessment of the impact of the welfare reforms says 150,000 additional working-age adults will face relative poverty because of the cuts.A previous assessment, before Sir Keir was forced to U-turn on some of the changes, said 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, would face poverty as a result of the measures.Pressure is mounting on the prime minister as he launches a last-minute attempt to win over dozens of Labour MPs rebelling against his welfare reforms.He is still facing the prospect of around 50 MPs rebelling in a crunch vote on Tuesday, despite offering concessions on the legislation last week.The original welfare bill proposed to introduce a higher bar for eligibility for the Personal Independence Payment (Pip), and cut the health-related element of universal credit.But after more than 100 Labour MPs called for these changes to be scrapped, the government said its proposed rules will now only apply to new claims from November 2026, and also rowed back on universal credit plans.Some changes to bill confirmedLiz Kendall is outlining concessions made to the welfare bill in the Commons now.“We have listened carefully and we are making positive changes as a result,” she said.She confirmed that the government’s proposed rules will now only apply to new claims from November 2026.“We will now ensure the new 4 point requirement will only apply to new claims from November 2026, this means no existing claimants will be affected by the changes in this bill,” she said.Athena Stavrou30 June 2025 15:44Watch live: Live: Labour introduces changes to Welfare Bill ahead of crucial vote[embedded content]Athena Stavrou30 June 2025 15:41Liz Kendall begins statement Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall is now addressing MPs in the Commons.She is updating MPs on changes made to the government’s controversial welfare reforms, in a bid to quell a Labour rebellion.She began by saying: “This government believes in equality and social justice.”( More