Labour MPs rebel against Government over welfare reforms

A number of Labour MPs have rebelled against Sir Keir Starmer’s Government, with more than 40 voting in favour of proposals to halt its welfare reforms.

A total of 44 Labour MPs, including two tellers, supported Rachael Maskell’s reasoned amendment, which proposed to scrap the Government’s plans to overhaul the system.

However, a Government defeat was averted, after disability minister Sir Stephen Timms offered a further concession during the Commons debate.

Sir Stephen said the Government had listened to the concerns raised, and changes to personal independence payments (Pip) would not take place until after a review of the benefit had concluded.

Ms Maskell’s amendment proposed to decline to give the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill a second reading, meaning it would have killed the Bill.

MPs voted 149 to 328, majority 179 to reject Ms Maskell’s amendment.

Here is a full list of the Labour rebels who voted in favour of the amendment:

Diane Abbott (Hackney North and Stoke Newington), Paula Barker (Liverpool Wavertree), Lee Barron (Corby and East Northamptonshire), Lorraine Beavers (Blackpool North and Fleetwood), Olivia Blake (Sheffield Hallam), Richard Burgon (Leeds East), Ian Byrne (Liverpool West Derby), Irene Campbell (North Ayrshire and Arran), Lizzi Collinge (Morecambe and Lunesdale), Stella Creasy (Walthamstow), Peter Dowd (Bootle), Neil Duncan-Jordan (Poole), Cat Eccles (Stourbridge), Clive Efford (Eltham and Chislehurst), Mary Kelly Foy (City of Durham), Tracy Gilbert (Edinburgh North and Leith), Mary Glindon (Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend), Chris Hinchliff (North East Hertfordshire), Imran Hussain (Bradford East), Terry Jermy (South West Norfolk), Kim Johnson (Liverpool Riverside), Ian Lavery (Blyth and Ashington), Brian Leishman (Alloa and Grangemouth), Emma Lewell (South Shields), Rebecca Long Bailey (Salford), Rachael Maskell (York Central), Navendu Mishra (Stockport), Grahame Morris (Easington), Margaret Mullane (Dagenham and Rainham), Simon Opher (Stroud), Kate Osborne (Jarrow and Gateshead East), Richard Quigley (Isle of Wight West), Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Clapham and Brixton Hill), Marie Rimmer (St Helens South and Whiston), Cat Smith (Lancaster and Wyre), Euan Stainbank (Falkirk), Graham Stringer (Blackley and Middleton South), Jon Trickett (Normanton and Hemsworth), Derek Twigg (Widnes and Halewood), Chris Webb (Blackpool South), Nadia Whittome (Nottingham East), Steve Witherden (Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr).

Tellers for the Ayes were Labour MPs Clive Lewis (Norwich South) and Andy McDonald (Middlesbrough and Thornaby East).

A total of 49 Labour MPs rebelled against the Government at second reading.

Marie Tidball, Kate Osamor, Abtisam Mohamed, Marsha De Cordova and Rosena Allin-Khan had no vote recorded for Ms Maskell’s amendment, but later voted against the Bill at second reading.

MPs voted 335 to 260, majority 75, in favour of the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, which has now cleared its first Commons hurdle.

Here is a full list of the Labour rebels who voted against the Bill at second reading:

Diane Abbott (Hackney North and Stoke Newington), Rosena Allin-Khan (Tooting), Paula Barker (Liverpool Wavertree), Lee Barron (Corby and East Northamptonshire), Lorraine Beavers (Blackpool North and Fleetwood), Olivia Blake (Sheffield Hallam), Richard Burgon (Leeds East), Ian Byrne (Liverpool West Derby), Irene Campbell (North Ayrshire and Arran), Lizzi Collinge (Morecambe and Lunesdale), Stella Creasy (Walthamstow), Marsha De Cordova (Battersea), Peter Dowd (Bootle), Neil Duncan-Jordan (Poole), Cat Eccles (Stourbridge), Clive Efford (Eltham and Chislehurst), Mary Kelly Foy (City of Durham), Tracy Gilbert (Edinburgh North and Leith), Mary Glindon (Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend), Chris Hinchliff (North East Hertfordshire), Imran Hussain (Bradford East), Terry Jermy (South West Norfolk), Kim Johnson (Liverpool Riverside), Ian Lavery (Blyth and Ashington), Brian Leishman (Alloa and Grangemouth), Emma Lewell (South Shields), Clive Lewis (Norwich South), Rebecca Long Bailey (Salford), Rachael Maskell (York Central), Andy McDonald (Middlesbrough and Thornaby East), Navendu Mishra (Stockport), Abtisam Mohamed (Sheffield Central), Grahame Morris (Easington), Margaret Mullane (Dagenham and Rainham), Simon Opher (Stroud), Kate Osamor (Edmonton and Winchmore Hill), Kate Osborne (Jarrow and Gateshead East), Richard Quigley (Isle of Wight West), Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Clapham and Brixton Hill), Marie Rimmer (St Helens South and Whiston), Cat Smith (Lancaster and Wyre), Euan Stainbank (Falkirk), Graham Stringer (Blackley and Middleton South), Marie Tidball (Penistone and Stocksbridge), Jon Trickett (Normanton and Hemsworth), Derek Twigg (Widnes and Halewood), Chris Webb (Blackpool South), Nadia Whittome (Nottingham East), Steve Witherden (Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr).

Published: 01/07/2025 by Radio NewsHub