Rebel Labour MPs get email rebuke over welfare cuts
Forty-seven Labour MPs voted against the government's welfare bill, which led to a last-minute climbdown by the government on benefit cuts.
Labour's Chief Whip, Sir Alan Campbell, this week emailed the rebel MPs, reminding them that their votes against the frontbench position constituted breaking the party whip.
Sir Keir has suspended four Labour MPs due to their involvement in the rebellion and other breaches of party discipline.
The government's U-turn on welfare cuts has created a £5bn financial gap, prompting calls from some Labour MPs for a wealth tax to address the shortfall.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
13 minutes ago
- The Independent
Parents' jobs to determine who gets civil service internships
Civil service hopefuls will have their fates decided by their parents' jobs under a shakeup aimed at recruiting more staff from working class backgrounds. The government will tighten eligibility criteria for Whitehall internships as part of a broader push to make the civil service more representative of the working class. The main Whitehall internship scheme will be limited to students from "lower socio-economic backgrounds" and based on which occupations their parents held when they were 14. Pat McFadden, the minister responsible for civil service reform, said Whitehall needed to reflect the country as a whole. "We need to get more working-class young people into the Civil Service so it harnesses the broadest range of talent and truly reflects the country," he told the BBC. "The government makes better decisions when it represents and understands the people we serve." The changes will take effect from summer 2026 and will give young people experience writing briefings, planning events, conducting policy research and shadowing civil servants, according to the broadcaster. The existing work summer placement programme, which lasts up to eight weeks and is paid, is open to undergraduates in the final two years of their degree. The move comes after the government announced plans to move thousands more civil servants out of London as part of plans to "radically reform the state". In May, the government confirmed it would cut the number of civil servants working in London by 12,000 and shift jobs to a series of new regional "campuses" across the country. Mr McFadden said at the time that the government would be relocating a "substantial number of roles". "The aim is to reduce the London count by about 12,000. That will save us £94m in lease costs because the properties in London are very expensive. "And we will move thousands - it's difficult to put a precise number - thousands of those jobs to new themed campuses around the country," he told Times Radio. The changes will also see 11 government office buildings in London close, including one of its largest Westminster sites, in a move expected to save £94m a year by 2032. The move will see two new major "campuses" created, one in Manchester focused on digital innovation and AI and another in Aberdeen on energy. Manchester is already home to major offices of the science and culture departments, while Aberdeen houses the new Great British Energy headquarters. Other roles will be created in Birmingham, Leeds, Cardiff, Glasgow, Darlington, Newcastle and Tyneside, Sheffield, Bristol, Edinburgh, Belfast and York, with the changes expected to bring £729 million to the local economy by 2030.
New Statesman
14 minutes ago
- New Statesman
Keir Starmer must use goodwill with Trump to expedite Palestinian statehood
Photo by Jane Barlow-Keir Starmer's decision to recognise a Palestinian state alongside France will be remembered as one of modern Britain's great foreign policy transformations. It marks a different approach from a new generation. And it has been a long time coming. As long ago as 2014, a majority of MPs – including me – voted to recognise Palestinian statehood. Recognition has been Labour Party policy for at least the last three general elections. The Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, has repeatedly said that he is working closely with the French, who announced their intention last week. It is no secret that pressure has ramped up in recent weeks, as the spectre of famine in Gaza has once again led the international community to look for new ways to demonstrate its commitment to a lasting peace. I have been saying to anyone who will listen for the better part of a year that it is time for the UK to fulfil its long-term commitment to recognition. Last week, I was one of 200 MPs of all parties to sign a letter calling on the government to do just that. On the same day, the Foreign Affairs Committee, which I chair, published a report into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – the product of nine months' intensive work. In that report, by majority vote, we called for the UK government to 'recognise the state of Palestine while there is still a state to recognise'. We all called on the government to kick-start the political process for a two-state solution, and to demand a ceasefire and for aid to flood in. Much of the coverage of the decision has seemed to reflect the Westminster bubble's Vicky Pollard-like attitude to any major policy change: 'Yeah-but, no-but.' When was the last time good news was simply welcomed? A lot has been made of the so-called conditional nature of the announcement. But let's face it: such speculation had already been killed off within 24 hours, when Benjamin Netanyahu by return of post said 'no' to our demands. And so it's likely that the UK will recognise Palestine in the autumn. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe What, then, does recognition mean – both for the suffering populations of Gaza and the West Bank, and for the UK's international standing? The move to recognise a Palestinian state shows Netanyahu's far-right government that the international community will not tolerate the continued bombardment of Gaza. It will not tolerate the cutting off of aid. It will not allow Gaza and the West Bank to be annexed. As well as insisting that aid is allowed in, it will take concrete steps to support the self-determination of the Palestinian people. In my view, it is also an attempt to reach over the heads of the far-right Israeli government and speak directly to the Israeli public, a majority of which polls consistently show want peace. It tells them there are nations out there that are willing to do the hard work to secure peace. But above all, it shows that the UK is serious about getting back into the room and building the two-state solution that both Palestinians and Israelis desperately need. That is especially powerful coming as it does alongside our allies. Both France, with whom Britain carved up the Middle East under the Sykes-Picot treaty more than a century ago. And our allies in the Arab world, including Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, who for their part issued a statement on Tuesday night calling for Hamas to disarm and end its rule of Gaza. No, recognition is not a stand-alone solution. But nor is it merely symbolic. It is a gigantic first step. Next, the UK must get together with those same allies and build a peace plan. I've seen indications that the government is beginning to do this. It is true that Netanyahu only listens to Donald Trump. So we must leverage the strong relationship that Keir Starmer has built and present that plan to the president, who, let's be honest, is hardly going to do the detailed work himself. We should say, 'President Trump, you have the strength of ten presidents. Show Netanyahu that peace and two states is the only solution, and there might even be a Nobel Peace Prize in it for you.' I am not saying it will work – but it might. And, in the face of the very real threat that the Palestinian land will be annexed out of existence, surely we must try. While we must prioritise alleviating immediate suffering, it is our duty to work to secure peace and a future for the Palestinian people. For that, there is no solution other than the two-state one. For years, the government has held out for the point of maximum impact. That moment is now. [See also: Emily Thornberry interview: 'I want to rebuild good vibes about the UK'] Related
Telegraph
14 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Business confidence worse than during Covid
Business confidence has plunged to an all-time low to surpass the pandemic and Liz Truss's mini-Budget after Rachel Reeves unleashed record taxes on employers. Bosses said they were 'frustrated' that the Chancellor had hit businesses with a barrage of cost increases while failing to improve the economic backdrop. The survey published by the Institute of Directors (IoD) showed the share of business leaders reporting they were pessimistic about the economic outlook exceeded those who were optimistic by 72pc. It means bosses are at their most pessimistic since the monthly survey started running in 2016, to outstrip the Covid lockdowns, fraught Brexit negotiations and the aftermath of Ms Truss's disastrous mini-Budget. Andrew Griffith, the shadow business secretary, accused the Government of 'attacking private enterprise with the zeal of a Left-wing student union'. He added: 'Instead of the cuts in spending which are urgently needed, this socialist Government hits businesses with higher taxes, raised energy costs and more trade-union inspired red tape. 'A year ago businesses faced a summer of uncertainty followed by massive tax hikes. Like a bad horror move franchise, the Chancellor seems determined to release a sequel.' Businesses are slashing investment plans and expect to cut back the number of staff they employ, amid falling revenues and soaring costs. Anna Leach, the IoD's chief economist, urged the Chancellor to 'urgently quash rumours of further tax rises for business this autumn, and accelerate planning reforms and de-regulation to restore confidence and drive growth'. She added: 'Companies continue to battle cost increases – particularly arising from the national minimum wage and National Insurance contribution changes – and many are frustrated that while the Government has been quick to raise costs for business, it has been much slower to deliver improvements to the wider business environment. 'Last year, damaging speculation around tax rises in the lead-up to the 2024 Budget caused many firms to pause investment and hiring decisions – contributing to six months of near-zero economic growth. 'We're now living with the economic consequences of those tax hikes, even as uncertainty around future costs once again builds. With ripple effects through the economy from tax changes and signs of consumer retrenchment, many firms report that they are struggling to plan amid a cacophony of risk.' Mel Stride, the shadow chancellor, urged Ms Reeves to 'heed the calls from the Institute of Directors and put to bed speculation about more damaging tax rises'. The economy shrank in April and May, while unemployment is rising and job vacancies are falling as companies cut back spending. October's £25bn raid on employers' National Insurance contributions shocked businesses. The tax rate was increased from 13.8pc to 15pc, and the earnings threshold at which it kicks in was reduced, taking in more part-time workers. The tax rise came into force in April, alongside a 6.7pc increase in the national living wage. Economists estimate that Ms Reeves will have to raise taxes or cut spending to the tune of £20bn or more in the Budget to maintain the buffer against her borrowing rules. But the Government has struggled to make even modest savings, performing about-turns on welfare reform and on the winter fuel payments to pensioners. Two thirds of businesses told the IoD they need action on taxes from the Government, with 64pc calling for help with the cost of employment. Half said they want less red tape, and 39pc said they need lower energy bills. An HM Treasury spokesman said: 'UK business confidence is the highest in 10 years, according to a Lloyds Bank survey published only this week. Since the election, we have struck three major trade deals with the EU, US and India, more than £1bn has been invested to fix our national infrastructure and the Bank of England has cut interest rates four times. 'And because of the tax decisions we took at the Budget last year, we have been able to deliver on the priorities of the British people, from investing in the NHS to cutting lists as we deliver on the Plan for Change.'
