Prime Minister Keir Starmer narrowly secured a 75-vote majority in Parliament for his revamped welfare reform bill, passing it by 335 votes to 260 despite facing a significant rebellion within his own Labour Party.
The bill, which aims to overhaul Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) systems, was heavily watered down after last-minute concessions to appease dissenting Labour MPs.
Key changes included shelving plans to tighten PIP eligibility until after a comprehensive review and limiting cuts to new claimants only, measures intended to protect vulnerable disabled people. Nonetheless, 49 Labour MPs voted against the bill, reflecting deep internal divisions and concerns over the bill’s impact and the rushed legislative process.
These concessions, while securing the bill’s passage, have stripped it of some of its most ambitious elements and cast doubt on the government’s ability to achieve the projected £5 billion in welfare savings. The rebellion has reduced the government’s working majority from 165 to 75, signaling ongoing instability and challenges ahead. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall acknowledged the difficulties, stating there are “lessons to be learned” but defended the legislation as a necessary step to reform a system she described as leaving “too many people written off.” Critics, including leading Labour rebels, have called for the government to pause and listen more closely to disabled people’s concerns, warning that the reforms could push more vulnerable individuals into poverty.
The bill will return for further scrutiny in the House of Commons on July 9, with the government under pressure to maintain party unity and deliver on its welfare reform promises amid continuing political tensions.
