Politics LIVE: Keir Starmer faces biggest rebellion yet as Labour MPs refuse to 'suck up' to PM 'sledgehammering' benefits bill
WATCH NOW: Katherine Forster joins Sir Keir Starmer in Merseyside
GB NEWS
Sir Keir Starmer has been left bracing for the biggest rebellion of his premiership over his plans to “take a sledgehammer” to Britain’s benefits bill.
The Prime Minister, who stripped the whip from seven Labour MPs over their two-child benefit cap revolt last summer, is looking to free up funds to cover his £13.4billion surge in defence spending.
However, the decision puts 80 Labour MPs on the cusp of staging a rebellion in the House of Commons.
After speaking to prominent Labour rebels, one MP told The Telegraph: “The first thing they’ve said to me after a few minutes saying how things are going is: ‘I’m going to give the Government a slap, I’ve had enough, I don’t know what it will be, but I’m at the end of my tether. I need to show my constitutents, I need to show people that I have my own brain, that I’m not going to suck up all of this.”
Addressing Starmer’s slight boost in the polls over his handling of events in Ukraine, the MP also claimed the “electorate is fickle” and warned that “this isn’t going to be his Falklands moment”.
Despite Reform UK’s civil war erupting over the weekend, Labour MPs remain concerned about disaffected voters heading towards either the populist party or the Greens.
York Central MP Rachael Maskell openly addressed the fears held by potential Labour rebels, claiming that “taking a sledgehammer to benefits” is “not the right approach”.
The potential cuts to Department for Work & Pensions expenditure puts further pressure on Liz Kendall just months after the Government axed Winter Fuel Payments and refused to cover compensation payments for Waspi women.
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Households living near electricity pylons will have energy bills slashed by up to 40 per cent
PylonsGETTYHouseholds living near electricity pylons are set to see their electricity bills slashed by £250 a year, under new Labour plans.
Ed Miliband and Angela Rayner will unveil plans to cut annual energy bills, in an attempt to reduce opposition for renewable energy projects.
Those living within half a kilometre of new or upgraded power infrastructure will see their bills cut by almost 40 per cent, The Times has reported.
The plans are set to be laid out in The Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which will be announced on Tuesday.
Is Reform UK underperforming? Farage’s party LOSE nine elections as 'civil war' grips party
It comes after Reform lost nine by-elections last week,
Getty/GBN
Commentators are asking whether Reform UK is underperforming electorally after the party lost yet more elections this week.
Nigel Farage’s ‘disruptor party’ has been recording dominant polling with at least four pollsters giving them a national lead, but critics point to the party only winning 12 of 212 council by-elections since the General Election, a measly five per cent.
It comes after Reform lost nine by-elections last week, six of them in second place, two in third and one fifth.
Foreign criminals awaiting deportation 'could be made to wear electronic tags' under new plans
Foreign criminals awaiting deportation could be made to wear electronic tags and subject to night-time curfews, under new plans set to be unveiled by ministers.
An amendment to the Border Security Asylum and Immigration Bill will mean tougher restrictions can be put on people who have committed a crime or have been deemed a threat to the public, but cannot yet be removed.
People who breach the restrictions could face jail time, under the plans set to be tabled in the legislation today.
A Government spokesperson has said that ministers are “committed to delivering justice for victims and safer streets for our communities”.
The spokesperson added: “Any foreign nationals who commit heinous crimes should be in no doubt we will do everything to make sure they are not free on Britain’s streets, including removal from the UK at the earliest possible opportunity.
“For the foreign criminals whose removal we are pursuing, but that we are presently unable to deport, we are introducing tougher restrictions including the use of electronic tags, night-time curfews and exclusion zones.
“Breaching these conditions would be grounds for arrest and the individual could face imprisonment.”
Labour MP warns ministers against 'draconian cuts' to welfare system ahead of anticipated changes
A Labour MP has warned ministers against “draconian cuts” ahead of expected changes to the welfare system.
Rachael Maskell suggested she had detected “deep, deep concern” from colleagues, amid risks of a rift between the Government and the back benches.
Reforms to the welfare system are expected ahead of the Spring Statement at the end of this month, as Rachel Reeves will likely look to make a raft of public spending savings given tighter fiscal headroom.
Speaking to the BBC, the MP for York Central, said that she has had a “flurry of emails” from people who are “deeply concerned” about the prospect of changes to the system.
She said: “We recognise the economic circumstances that we’re in and the hand that we were given and of course it is right that the Chancellor has oversight over all those budgets but not at the expense of pushing disabled people into poverty.”
She added: “There’s got to be a carrot approach not a stick approach.
“We’ve got to make the right interventions and that doesn’t start with the stick.”
Maskell said that she had “picked up […] deep deep concern” from colleagues and called for a “compassionate system and not taking just draconian cuts”.
Conservatives will 'bring to an end the era of mass migration' through amendments to Border and Security bill
Chris Philp said that 'indefinite leave to remain must be earned' GB NEWSShadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said the Conservative Party’s proposed amendments to the Border Security Asylum and Immigration Bill will “bring to an end the era of mass migration”.
Asked about the proposed amendments to the legislation, which would mean migrants will have to earn more to qualify for a work visa and will not be able to bring partners to the UK unless they have been married for two years, he told the BBC: “Well, the intended effect is to bring to an end the era of mass migration.
“For 20 or 30 years now, we’ve seen huge numbers arriving in the UK, often coming to work on low wages and in low-skilled jobs and it’s time, we think, that ends.
“We think actually it’s bad for the taxpayer, because recent OBR analysis shows that people coming here on lower wages actually cost the general taxpayer money because they consume more in services than they pay in tax. It obviously puts pressure on public services, and in some cases, can undermine social cohesion as well.
“What we should focus on is a much smaller number of very high-skilled migrants, rather than mass low-skilled migration.”
Rupert Lowe hosted glitzy Reform donor dinner just hours before being ‘thrown under bus’ with police probe
Rupert LowePARupert Lowe hosted a glitzy dinner for potential Reform donors just hours before the Great Yarmouth MP was reported to police, it has emerged.
Lowe, who was suspended by the populist party amid allegations of serious bullying and threats of violence on Friday, was at the fundraising event alongside Reform treasurer Nick Candy.
The pair were schmoozing with prospective backers at the exclusive private dining club Oswald’s in Mayfair.
Lowe headed to the donor dinner just hours after sitting down for an interview with The Daily Mail.
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