By Christopher McKeon
Sir Keir Starmer continues to face the prospect of a major rebellion over his welfare cuts despite making concessions to disgruntled Labour MPs.
Ministers hope a partial U-turn will be enough to win over Labour rebels when MPs vote on welfare changes on Tuesday.
The concessions included protecting people claiming personal independence payment (Pip) from changes due to come into effect in November 2026, and rowing back plans to cut the health-related element of universal credit.
But backbench anger has continued to simmer, with a statement from Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall laying out the concessions on Monday receiving a negative response.
Asked whether he was 鈥渃onfident鈥 that the concessions had done enough to secure passage of the Universal Credit and Personal Independent Payment Bill, disabilities minister Sir Stephen Timms would only tell Sky News: 鈥淚 certainly hope it passes.鈥
Some 126 Labour MPs had previously signed a 鈥渞easoned amendment鈥 proposed by Treasury Committee chairwoman Dame Meg Hillier that would have stopped the legislation if approved.
That rebellion appeared to have been averted after Dame Meg described concessions agreed on Friday as a 鈥渨orkable compromise鈥.
But in the Commons on Monday, she was one of several senior Labour figures to raise concerns about the Government鈥檚 revised proposals, while another MP involved in negotiations, Debbie Abrahams, suggested ministers had rowed back on what had been agreed.
A second amendment rejecting the Bill has been put forward by York Central MP Rachael Maskell with the backing of 138 disability groups, saying disabled people had 鈥測et to have agency in this process鈥.
Ms Maskell鈥檚 amendment is reported to have been signed by only around 35 Labour MPs 鈥 far fewer than the 83 needed to overturn Sir Keir鈥檚 majority, but enough to deliver the largest rebellion of his premiership just before the first anniversary of Labour鈥檚 election victory.
Other sceptical MPs are expected to abstain on Tuesday, but could vote against the Bill next week if there are no further concessions.
One of the chief concerns revolves around a review of Pip to be carried out by Sir Stephen and 鈥渃o-produced鈥 with disabled people.
His review is not expected to report until autumn next year, making it difficult to incorporate his findings into the Pip changes due to take place at the same time.
Ms Abrahams suggested the timing meant the outcome of the review was 鈥減re-determined鈥, while Sarah Owen, another select committee chairwoman, warned it could create a 鈥渢hree-tier鈥 benefit system.
Groups including Disability Rights UK and Disabled People Against Cuts criticised the Government鈥檚 claim that Sir Stephen鈥檚 review would be 鈥渃o-produced鈥 with them and urged Labour rebels to stand firm.
They said: 鈥淭he Government have made it very clear that they are intent on slashing the support that so many disabled people rely on to work and live independently, no matter how many disabled people tell them what a harmful policy this will be.鈥
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said her party鈥檚 MPs would vote against the proposals, describing them as 鈥渘ot serious welfare reform鈥 and saying ministers had 鈥渨atered down the small savings Labour were making鈥.
The original proposals were expected to save 拢4.8 billion by 2030, but Ms Kendall revealed on Monday that the revised proposals were likely to save less than half that figure.