Keir Starmer’s welfare reforms hang by a thread the day before a vote that could define his premiership. The prime minister was almost certainly heading for his first Commons defeat in government before a last-minute deal reached last week between government officials and leading rebels.
However, the result remains uncertain, with Labour MPs warning on Monday that they could not back the bill in its current form. Many are angry about the fact that the controversial four-point system to qualify for personal independence payments (Pips) will take effect in November 2026, no matter the outcome of a government review into the system.
