Sir Keir Starmer scrambles to contain 'mass rebellion' among Labour MPs over welfare reforms
Sir Keir Starmer has met privately with dozens of MPs in a bid to quash a "mass rebellion" over the Government's welfare reforms.
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The prime minister held multiple one-on-one meetings with disgruntled MPs who have concerns over the controversial cost-cutting policy on Friday.
It comes after Labour MP Vicky Foxcroft became the first frontbencher to resign in protest of the welfare cuts, which the Government hopes save up to £5 billion a year.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Ms Foxcroft, who served as the Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, said that she could not vote "for reforms which include cuts to disabled people's finances".
Among the most significant moves in the bill is the tightening of eligibility for personal independence payments (Pip), a benefit aimed at helping those with disability or long-term illness with increased living costs.
Read more: Liz Kendall unable to say how much the changes in the Welfare Bill announced today will end up costing
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to be affected by the changes to Pip eligibility, which are expected to account for the largest proportion of savings the Government hopes to make.
An impact assessment published alongside Wednesday’s Bill introduction, confirmed previously published estimates that changes to Pip entitlement rules could see about 800,000 people lose out, with an average loss of £4,500 per year.
In what could be seen as an attempt to head off some opposition, the legislation – known as the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill – will give existing claimants a 13-week period of financial support.
The Department for Work and Pensions said this will apply to those affected by changes to the Pip daily living component, including those who lose their eligibility to Carers Allowance and the carer’s element of UC.
But campaigners, including disability equality charity Scope, said the longer transition period, up from an originally expected four weeks, “will only temporarily delay a cut and disabled people will continue to be living with extra costs when it comes to an end”.
Earlier this week, Labour MP Richard Burgon told LBC that the Government is "making the same mistake" as it did with the winter fuel allowance but on a larger scale.
He said: "They're going to end up in a real mess because so many Labour colleagues think this isn't what a Labour government should do. Labour governments are meant to lift people out of poverty, not plunge people into poverty."
However, despite the opposition, the Prime Minister said he was “determined” to ensure the reforms go through because he feels the welfare system “doesn’t work for anyone”.
Figures published by the Department for Work and Pensions showed there were a record 3.74 million people in England and Wales claiming Pip as of April this year.
The figure is up from 3.69 million in January and a jump of 200,000 from 3.54 million a year earlier.
Labour MP Liz Kendall previously said there are 1,000 new Pip awards every day – “the equivalent of adding a city the size of Leicester every single year”.
250,000 more people, including 50,000 children, are likely to fall into relative poverty after housing costs in 2029/2030, although the Government repeated that this does not take into account the potentially positive impact of £1 billion annual funding by then for measures to support people into work.
Changes to UC are expected to see an estimated 2.25 million current recipients of the health element impacted, with an average loss of £500 per year.
But the Government said around 3.9 million households not on the UC health element are expected to have an average annual gain of £265 from the increase in the standard UC allowanc