A humiliating day for Keir Starmer in parliament
Helen Pidd heads to parliament on the day the Commons is due to vote on the government's flagship welfare bill, amid a furious rebellion among Labour MPs on its proposed disability cuts.
She hears from a series of Labour MPs – from those in support of the bill to those against, and those still undecided – after a week in which the government has offered concession after concession to rebels to try to get its legislation over the line.
Yet, as political correspondent Kiran Stacey reports, even as the debate started, senior figures in government were worried they might still lose, prompting the biggest concession of all.
So where does this leave Keir Starmer's authority only a year into office, and where can his beleaguered government go from here?
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The Independent
26 minutes ago
- The Independent
Four arrests outside Parliament as Palestine Action protests against its ban
Four people, including 'a man who blocked the gates of Downing Street with his mobility scooter', have been arrested following a Westminster protest by Palestine Action, the Metropolitan Police has said. The protest took place outside of Parliament as MPs gave their approval to the Government's decision to ban Palestine Action as a terror group. The Commons voted 385 to 26, majority 359, in favour of proscribing the group under the Terrorism Act 2000. The move, which also has to be considered by the House of Lords, would make it a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison to be a member of the direct action group or to support it. Outside of Parliament, the police imposed Public Order Act conditions aimed at limiting the protest to an area off Whitehall. 'Public Order Act conditions had been imposed to prevent serious disruption, requiring anyone taking part in the protest to assemble on Richmond Terrace, off Whitehall,' a spokesperson for the force said. One woman, who identified herself as Emma Kamio to the PA news agency, appeared to use the protest technique known as 'locking on' to cause an obstruction outside of Carriage Gates, one of the entrances to the parliamentary estate. Her daughter Leona Kamio was among a group of pro-Palestine protesters who have appeared in court to deny breaking into the UK site of an Israel-based defence firm with sledgehammers, causing £1 million of damage. Police were seen speaking to Ms Kamio as she sat on the pavement outside Parliament with her arm inside what appeared to be a suitcase. Listing the four arrests, a Met spokesperson said a woman 'who locked herself onto a suitcase outside the gates of Parliament' was among them for 'breaching the conditions and for being in possession of articles intended for locking on'. 'A man who was with her and refused to move to the conditioned area was arrested for breaching the conditions,' they added. The spokesman also said: 'A man who blocked the gates of Downing Street with his mobility scooter and refused to move to the conditioned area was arrested for breaching the conditions.' A fourth man was arrested for 'breaching conditions' of the demonstration, according to the Met. A larger than usual number of officers could be seen in the area around Parliament. The Met said the 'significant policing presence in the vicinity of Parliament' was because of its 'responsibility to take action to prevent serious disruption to the life of the community', including by ensuring MPs 'can go about their business free from intimidation or unreasonable interference'.
North Wales Chronicle
26 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Four arrests outside Parliament as Palestine Action protests against its ban
The protest took place outside of Parliament as MPs gave their approval to the Government's decision to ban Palestine Action as a terror group. The Commons voted 385 to 26, majority 359, in favour of proscribing the group under the Terrorism Act 2000. Thousands protesting outside Downing Street now to oppose the proscription of @Pal_action and defend the right to protest. 🇵🇸 — Palestine Solidarity Campaign (@PSCupdates) July 2, 2025 The move, which also has to be considered by the House of Lords, would make it a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison to be a member of the direct action group or to support it. Outside of Parliament, the police imposed Public Order Act conditions aimed at limiting the protest to an area off Whitehall. 'Public Order Act conditions had been imposed to prevent serious disruption, requiring anyone taking part in the protest to assemble on Richmond Terrace, off Whitehall,' a spokesperson for the force said. One woman, who identified herself as Emma Kamio to the PA news agency, appeared to use the protest technique known as 'locking on' to cause an obstruction outside of Carriage Gates, one of the entrances to the parliamentary estate. Her daughter Leona Kamio was among a group of pro-Palestine protesters who have appeared in court to deny breaking into the UK site of an Israel-based defence firm with sledgehammers, causing £1 million of damage. BREAKING: Despite a protest ban outside Parliament, Emma Kamio, mother of a Palestine Action prisoner, is locked on outside to oppose the proscription of Palestine Action. Her daughter has been in prison on remand since August 2024 for destroying Israeli weapons worth £millions. — Palestine Action (@Pal_action) July 2, 2025 Police were seen speaking to Ms Kamio as she sat on the pavement outside Parliament with her arm inside what appeared to be a suitcase. Listing the four arrests, a Met spokesperson said a woman 'who locked herself onto a suitcase outside the gates of Parliament' was among them for 'breaching the conditions and for being in possession of articles intended for locking on'. 'A man who was with her and refused to move to the conditioned area was arrested for breaching the conditions,' they added. The spokesman also said: 'A man who blocked the gates of Downing Street with his mobility scooter and refused to move to the conditioned area was arrested for breaching the conditions.' A fourth man was arrested for 'breaching conditions' of the demonstration, according to the Met. A larger than usual number of officers could be seen in the area around Parliament. The Met said the 'significant policing presence in the vicinity of Parliament' was because of its 'responsibility to take action to prevent serious disruption to the life of the community', including by ensuring MPs 'can go about their business free from intimidation or unreasonable interference'.
The Sun
31 minutes ago
- The Sun
Starmer must stop the soft Left hijacking his seriously damaged Government — or we'll all be much poorer
Red dread JUBILANT left wing MPs yesterday gloried in the humiliation of their own Prime Minister after smashing his welfare reforms. Emboldened by their victory, they queued up on the airwaves to demand skint Britain be hit with big tax rises and more spending. 1 Socialist darling Angela Rayner - credited with forcing Keir Starmer to duck the vital challenge of slashing Britain's soaring benefits bill - insists Labour is now 'in a better place.' Hardly. In a warning of the new reality facing voters, the cover of Lefty bible the New Statesman screams: 'Just Raise Tax!' And one Labour MP, hailing a 16 per cent increase in Universal Credit handouts, tweeted: 'That'll put money in people's pockets.' Yes, but only by taxing people who worked hard to earn it so you can hand it over to those who don't! Such is the new soft Left fantasy which suddenly holds such a grip on a weakened Prime Minister. Inevitably, their overwhelming new demand is for a punishing wealth tax to soak the rich. The fact it never works - nine of 12 countries which tried to impose one later scrapped it - simply doesn't compute with their rotten, class-obsessed, wishful thinking. Millionaires are already leaving Britain in droves believing Labour hates them for making money. Sky high taxes always kills growth which only a few months ago Starmer and his Chancellor insisted was their number one priority. Keir Starmer 'to BACK DOWN' on benefits cuts as he faces major revolt from MPs Sir Keir must find it within himself to stop the soft Left hijacking his seriously damaged Government. Their toxic mix of more taxes, bigger Government, massive spending and weaker borders is a recipe for disaster. If the PM bows to their economic illiteracy, we'll all be much poorer. Trim the fat AFTER Labour's abject failure to curb welfare spending, what hope of them successfully delivering a massive overhaul of the NHS? The good news is that Health Secretary Wes Streeting is up for the fight. Fat jabs have given him a real chance of ending the obesity crisis - and saving billions. Streeting's main mission must be to ensure every penny of tax-payers money goes into patient care. That means Downing Street backing him in facing down ludicrous pay demands from the Marxist medics threatening strikes. But he also needs to resist easy Nanny State solutions to health issues which threaten to take over people's lives or remove freedom and choice. Instead, Wes should make fixing falling productivity in our bloated heath service his top priority.
