Keir Starmer could face biggest rebellion over disability benefit freeze

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer could face the biggest rebellion of his premiership with dozens of Labour MPs angry at his plans to cut billions from the rising welfare bill and threatening to vote against freezing disability benefits, reports the Guardian.

In a bid to avoid a damaging showdown with MPs and peers, Downing Street began inviting groups of Labour backbenchers to meetings on Wednesday, stressing the "moral case" for changes designed to get people back to work as they made the case for painful changes.

The Guardian understands that dozens of MPs have urged the government to think again. Many are particularly concerned that Rachel Reeves is set to go further than the former Tory chancellor George Osborne who, despite cutting working-age benefits for four years, kept the personal independence payments (Pip) rising.

Some of those in the meetings revealed that No 10 officials appeared taken aback by the scale of the anger, especially from new MPs who have been unstintingly loyal.

Senior government figures have signaled in private conversations that they may still be open to change, but any climb down could leave the chancellor with a major fiscal hole to fill.

Government officials believe that freezing the Pip would almost certainly require a vote on primary legislation, as certain benefits are protected by the Social Security Administration Act 1992, which states they should rise by inflation each year.

Given the government's large majority, there is little chance of it failing to push through its planned changes to the disability benefit system, but some Labour MPs said they would nevertheless struggle to vote for any measures that take money away from the poorest in society.

One told the Guardian: "We're in government and I feel utterly useless. They [No 10] will understand our frustrations, though largely private, when we get a chance to vote."

Ministers hope plans to reform employment schemes will help to win over some worried Labour MPs.

About £1bn is expected to be ploughed into helping the long-term sick back into work after the welfare secretary faced down opposition from the Treasury ahead of £6bn cuts to the UK benefits budget.

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