Starmer shifts approach to regain support from Labour MPs

Starmer changes tone in bid to win back Labour MPs

On Wednesday, Sir Keir Starmer insisted that he would plough on with the government's proposed welfare reforms. For Labour MPs, that only made things worse. Today's task for the prime minister and his team: make things better. The clear change of tone right from the start of the day was the first sign of that change. It was reinforced by Sir Keir in the Commons, who said that he recognised MPs of all parties were 'eager' to reform the 'broken' welfare system. 'We want to see reform implemented with Labour values and fairness,' he said.

He said talks with Labour rebels would continue in the 'coming days', ahead of the scheduled vote next week on legislation to deliver the proposals. The bill tightens eligibility requirements for personal independence payments (Pips), halves the health-related element of universal credit (UC), and increases the UC standard allowance. These reforms aim to save £5bn a year by 2030. Two areas where the talks will focus are the eligibility criteria for Pips, and the proposed cuts to the health-related elements of UC. These are sensitive matters at the heart of the welfare package. But the government simply needs to find a way to get to, and through, the vote on Tuesday. Take a step back, and this is apocalyptic territory for a government which won a vast landslide less than a year ago. Spending the week speaking to Labour MPs and officials has been quite staggering. Invective is being sprayed everywhere. At the heart of this rebellion is the unease in the Labour Party, which spreads right across all factions and none, about cuts to the generosity of the welfare state. For so many Labour MPs, that safety net, and a passionate commitment to it, form their irreducible core.

The welfare reforms were proposed in the Spring Statement in March, which prompted protests in London