Good morning. Last week, Downing Street was bracing for a painful rebellion of up to 50 MPs on the welfare reform bill that comes before the House of Commons next week. A couple of days later, government whip Vicky Foxcroft resigned, and the government insisted it was not a sign of serious trouble, referring to the rebels as “a handful”.
On Monday, an amendment that would put the bill on pause was published with the support of 108 MPs. And by last night, that number had risen to more than 120 – comfortably enough to create the most humbling day of Keir Starmer’s premiership, and throw the future of the government’s flagship welfare reforms into chaos.
