Labour is facing growing internal tensions as several MPs threaten to oppose the government’s proposed disability benefit cuts.
Nine Labour MPs voiced deep concerns during a heated debate in Westminster Hall on Wednesday. They criticized plans to tighten access to disability payments for people with less severe conditions. The growing calls to rethink welfare cuts follow Labour’s loss of 187 council seats in last week’s local elections.
Disability Minister Sir Stephen Timms defended the reforms, arguing they aim to keep the welfare system “financially sustainable in the long term.” The government unveiled these major welfare changes in March, targeting Personal Independence Payment (Pip) and Universal Credit (UC). Ministers estimate the changes will save around £5 billion per year by 2030 and help more people move into work.
Currently, the UK spends £65 billion annually on health and disability-related benefits, a figure expected to rise to £100 billion by 2029 without reforms. According to government projections, 3.2 million families may become worse off, while 3.8 million families could benefit by the decade’s end.
During the debate, veteran MP Diane Abbott accused the government of balancing its budget “on the backs of people on welfare.” Liverpool MP Ian Byrne passionately declared he would “swim through vomit to vote against” the proposals. Other Labour MPs, including Richard Burgon, Rachael Maskell, Andy McDonald, Cat Eccles, Nadia Whittome, Imran Hussain, Steve Witherden, and Ian Lavery, also pledged to oppose the cuts.
Independent MP John McDonnell, who previously lost the Labour whip, joined them in rejecting the reforms. Beyond Parliament, several other Labour MPs have hinted at opposition through public events, articles, and social media posts.
Timms pushed back, saying the current system produces “poor employment outcomes, high economic inactivity, low living standards, and high costs.” He stressed the need for a “proactive, pro-work system” to boost both people’s lives and the economy.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer already faces mounting pressure after defending the government’s decision to cut winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners. About 45 Labour MPs from northern England and the Midlands have called for that policy to be reversed.
The disability benefits issue could soon become Labour’s next major political challenge. The government plans to bring the legislation before the House of Commons in June.
Sources suggest some potential rebels are being quietly told they will not lose the party whip if they abstain or avoid the vote. Although Labour’s large majority ensures the reforms will pass, a major rebellion could highlight deepening discontent within the party.
Senior minister Pat McFadden urged MPs to focus on the future, calling the current political climate “the fight of our lives.” Speaking at the first Labour gathering since the local elections, McFadden emphasized the need to take on new political battles and “win the fight for Britain’s future.”
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