Ex-Tory minister urges Labour to drop repealing of Northern Ireland Legacy Act
He said: 'Many of those surviving veterans are now in their 70s or even their 80s, and I suspect that many Labour MPs opposite would find it extremely difficult to explain to those veterans and their loved ones why they are taking this action, just because their Government is literally obsessed with the Human Rights Act 1998.'
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Daily Mail
40 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Knives out for 'the real deputy PM' as Sue Gray seeks revenge on the man who helped oust her, reveals ANDREW PIERCE
At a glitzy fundraising gala for one of Labour 's rising stars on Monday night, the mood was buoyant. The party faithful cheered speakers including Lord Mandelson, now ambassador to Washington, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones. Unusually, another figure who prefers to lurk in the shadows was spotted at the event, where tickets cost up to £200. Standing quietly to the side in the Ev Turkish restaurant in Southwark was Morgan McSweeney, 48, the No 10 chief of staff. Labour insiders tell me that McSweeney is the real Deputy Prime Minister, wielding far more clout than the hapless Angela Rayner, who carries that title 'in name only'. Perhaps McSweeney's attendance was unsurprising. After all, the purpose of the event was to raise money for his wife: Imogen Walker, the Labour member for Hamilton and Clyde Valley. She became an MP only at last year's election, but is already rising fast. She is parliamentary private secretary to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, so McSweeney has eyes and ears in the heart of the Treasury as well as at No 10. Today, as Labour's civil war escalates over the Government's plan to cut billions from the ballooning disability benefits bill, McSweeney's unshakeable grip on the party machine – and his reputation as one of the canniest operators in Westminster – appears to be collapsing. Yesterday, reports emerged that unnamed Labour MPs have been demanding 'regime change' in No 10 – and the ousting of Starmer's team of 'over-excitable boys'. One authoritative source tells me: 'What they mean by 'regime change' is 'sack McSweeney'. We haven't even got to the Government's first anniversary next week but the No 10 kitchen cabinet already has bunker mentality. Morgan has been semi-detached from the benefits row, which is hugely damaging.' This very point was underlined by Starmer on Wednesday at the Nato summit in Holland. The PM waved away the benefits row – which could yet see a sensational defeat for his government despite its vast majority of 165 – as 'noises off'. This airy dismissal saw the number of rebels swell to almost 130, among them, crucially, 14 select committee chairmen: senior MPs immune to the usual threats and blandishments from party whips. The opponents need only 83 MPs to scupper the Bill and inflict a humiliating defeat on Starmer next week. A second source tells me: 'Keir seems more exercised by managing relations with Donald Trump than he is with his own backbenchers.' Once again, insiders point to the hand of McSweeney. In February, he was photographed sitting near Starmer in the White House when the PM met Trump. My source adds: 'McSweeney thinks 'Starmer the international statesman' plays well with voters. But what voters actually see is: Keir's never here.' Yesterday, research from the BBC showed that Starmer has voted in the Commons on fewer occasions in his first year as PM than all his recent predecessors (excluding Liz Truss's brief tenure): just seven times, barely half the record managed by runner-up Tony Blair. Boris Johnson came top with 57. As the welfare blame-game swirls, I can reveal that two sides are forming in the Downing Street bunker. In one corner is McSweeney, who I'm told is 'obsessed' with the threat posed by Reform after Nigel Farage's stunning recent successes in the local elections and the Runcorn by-election. In the other corner is Liz Lloyd, a Downing Street veteran and Starmer's 'director of policy delivery'. While Morgan worries about Reform, Lloyd wants more emphasis on economic growth and schools policy. Morgan sees cutting sickness benefits as playing well with Reform voters – but Labour MPs are unconvinced the policy is worth it. 'Team Morgan is in denial and in chaos,' says one furious party figure. 'They're making things worse, not better. It's one thing to shake up welfare to try to get millions of economically inactive people back into work – but this is targeting the sick and disabled. Keir has a tin ear because he's been listening to Morgan for too long.' Only yesterday, a YouGov poll, the most extensive since the general election, showed Labour on course to plunge from 411 MPs to 178 at the next election – with Reform roaring ahead to become the largest party on 271 seats. Starmer's personal rating is at a record low of minus 46 per cent. McSweeney cites such polls as vindication for his emphasis on fighting Reform – but his enemies say that Starmer, as a self-professed socialist, is never going to convince voters he's 'Farage-lite', and that Labour's best approach is instead to tack to the Left to see off the threat of the Greens and Lib Dems. Friends of McSweeney have told me there are rumours that the briefing against him is coming from Louise Haigh – sacked as Transport Secretary by Starmer last year and still smarting. McSweeney fired her in November after it emerged she had pleaded guilty to a fraud offence a decade earlier. Haigh is close to Baroness (Sue) Gray, who was ousted by McSweeney as chief of staff in October after just three months in the job. Gray, the former 'neutral' civil servant who helped defenestrate Boris Johnson during the 'Partygate' farrago – and who went on to sign up as a paid senior Labour official – was blamed for the ugly PR debacle over free suits and spectacles greedily accepted by Starmer and other senior Labour figures from donor Lord Alli. Many Labour MPs have convinced themselves that purple-haired Haigh was hard done by – and that 'macho' McSweeney went too far. Gray is said to be bitter on a personal level, too – and loathes McSweeney for orchestrating her early political demise. 'This is Lou and Sue's revenge on Morgan,' one senior female Labour adviser tells me. 'Sue will be wryly observing the unfolding chaos in the Downing Street machine, which she used to run, from her new perch in the Lords.' Labour ultra-grandee Tony Blair, too, is said to be privately critical of McSweeney's approach. The buck, however, ultimately stops not with McSweeney, but with Starmer. The PM's critics say he lacks any serious political convictions or instincts, having entered Parliament in 2015 after decades as a human rights lawyer, and having run for the party leadership on a far-Left Corbynista ticket before tacking to the centre ground to woo Middle England at the election, before finally governing on an unoriginal Old Labour tax-and-spend playbook. Starmer likes to think of McSweeney as his political barometer – yet the equipment seems increasingly faulty. According to party lore, Irishman McSweeney – who came to Britain aged 17 – was on a placement to Labour's Millbank HQ a few days before the 2001 general election when a receptionist dropped a vase on her foot and had to be signed off work. McSweeney, the story goes, was asked to step in and man the desk – and has never looked back. (Interestingly, Lord Mandelson, who was a fixture at Labour HQ during the campaign, has no recollection of the 24-year-old manning the reception desk – and to this day, several members of Blair's Cabinet are bewildered by McSweeney's rise.) Regardless, he eventually made his name running Labour Together: a think-tank set up to engineer the end of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership during the 2010s. After Corbyn led his party to its worst election defeat since 1935 in 2019, McSweeney moved effortlessly to Starmer's side, with the new leader appointing him as his chief of staff. At Monday night's fundraiser, thousands of pounds were raised for Imogen Walker's constituency work. Yet it may all be for little: yesterday's doom-laden poll predicts she will lose her Commons seat at the next election. If the rumbles of discontent over the No 10 operation grow louder still, it may be that McSweeney is out of a job even sooner than his wife – and you can be sure that Blair's former adviser Liz Lloyd will happily take his place.
ITV News
an hour ago
- ITV News
Government expected to unveil welfare Bill concessions after talks with rebels
Sir Keir Starmer is understood to have offered concessions on his controversial welfare reforms in a Government climbdown that looks set to have won over leading Labour rebels. Number 10 had been locked in crisis talks with backbenchers after some 126 MPs within the party signed an amendment that would halt the legislation in its tracks. On Thursday night, sources said a deal was being thrashed out between rebels and the Government as it seeks to head off the prospect of the Prime Minister's first Commons defeat in a crunch vote next week. The Government's original package restricted eligibility for the personal independence payment (Pip), the main disability payment in England, and limited the sickness-related element of universal credit. Existing claimants were to be given a 13-week, phase-out period of financial support in an earlier move that was seen as a bid to head off opposition by aiming to soften the impact of the changes. However, concessions offered by the Government to save the Bill from defeat are understood to include a commitment that those currently receiving Pip will continue to get the allowance. This would protect some 370,000 existing claimants who were expected to lose out following reassessment. Ministers had hoped the reforms would get more people back into work and save up to £5 billion a year, but fresh changes such as these would leave Chancellor Rachel Reeves needing to find money elsewhere. Rebels had also been calling for ministers to row back on a freeze in the health element of universal credit, which was expected to lead to a £450 real decline in support for some 2.2 million existing claimants. It is understood that the Government has agreed to avoid such a reduction in support, as well as committing to a future consultation that would involve taking the views of disabled people about policy into account. The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill has its second reading on Tuesday, the first opportunity for MPs to support or reject it. If the legislation clears its first hurdle, it will then face a few hours' examination by all MPs the following week – rather than days or weeks in front of a committee tasked with looking at the Bill. The Government had earlier said it was listening to suggestions to improve the legislation amid concerns about the swift timetable of the Bill. The so-called 'reasoned amendment' tabled by Treasury select committee chairwoman Dame Meg Hillier had argued that disabled people have not been properly consulted and further scrutiny of the changes is needed. While the expected concessions look set to have reassured some of those who had been leading the rebellion, other MPs remain opposed. Speaking to the PA news agency, Rachel Maskell said: 'As the Government is seeking to reform the system they should protect all disabled people until they have completed their co-produced consultation and co-produced implementation. 'I cannot vote for something that will have such a significant impact … as disabled people are not involved, it is just a backroom deal.' One MP said that ministers would need to 'go back to the drawing board' to make the Bill acceptable. Another said they expected the legislation would get through second reading if the Government conceded the key sticking points relating to existing Pip claimants, the health element of universal credit and a policy consultation. 'It would need to be in the Bill, not just a commitment,' they said. Speaking in the Commons on Wednesday, Sir Keir told MPs he wanted the reforms to reflect 'Labour values of fairness' and that discussions about the changes would continue over the coming days. He insisted there was 'consensus across the House on the urgent need for reform' of the 'broken' welfare system. 'I know colleagues across the House are eager to start fixing that, and so am I, and that all colleagues want to get this right, and so do I,' he said. 'We want to see reform implemented with Labour values of fairness. 'That conversation will continue in the coming days, so we can begin making change together on Tuesday.' There was mixed reaction among charities to the prospect of concessions. Learning disability charity Mencap said the news would be a 'huge relief to thousands of people living in fear of what the future holds'. 'It is the right thing to do and sends a clear message – cutting disability benefits is not a fair way to mend the black hole in the public purse,' director of strategy Jackie O'Sullivan said. But the MS Society urged rebels to hold firm and block the Bill, insisting any Government offer to water down the reforms would amount to 'kicking the can down the road and delaying an inevitable disaster'. Head of campaigns at the charity, Charlotte Gill, said: 'We urge MPs not to be swayed by these last ditch attempts to force through a harmful Bill with supposed concessions. 'The only way to avoid a catastrophe today and in the future is to stop the cuts altogether by halting the Bill in its tracks.' The Tories described concessions as 'the latest in a growing list of screeching U-turns' from the Government. Shadow chancellor Mel Stride said: 'Under pressure from his own MPs, Starmer has made another completely unfunded spending commitment. 'Labour's welfare chaos will cost hardworking taxpayers. 'We can't afford Labour.'
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Government expected to unveil welfare Bill concessions after talks with rebels
On Thursday night, sources said a deal was being thrashed out between rebels and the Government as it seeks to head off the prospect of the Prime Minister's first Commons defeat in a crunch vote next week. The Government's original package restricted eligibility for the personal independence payment (Pip), the main disability payment in England, and limited the sickness-related element of universal credit. Existing claimants were to be given a 13-week, phase-out period of financial support in an earlier move that was seen as a bid to head off opposition by aiming to soften the impact of the changes. However, concessions offered by the Government to save the Bill from defeat are understood to include a commitment that those currently receiving Pip will continue to get the allowance. This would protect some 370,000 existing claimants who were expected to lose out following reassessment. Ministers had hoped the reforms would get more people back into work and save up to £5 billion a year, but fresh changes such as these would leave Chancellor Rachel Reeves needing to find money elsewhere. Rebels had also been calling for ministers to row back on a freeze in the health element of universal credit, which was expected to lead to a £450 real decline in support for some 2.2 million existing claimants. Sir Keir Starmer told MPs he wanted welfare reforms to reflect 'Labour values of fairness' (Stefan Rousseau/PA) It is understood that the Government has agreed to avoid such a reduction in support, as well as committing to a future consultation that would involve taking the views of disabled people about policy into account. The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill has its second reading on Tuesday, the first opportunity for MPs to support or reject it. If the legislation clears its first hurdle, it will then face a few hours' examination by all MPs the following week – rather than days or weeks in front of a committee tasked with looking at the Bill. Shadow chancellor Mel Stride said 'Labour's welfare chaos will cost hardworking taxpayers' (James Manning/PA) The Government had earlier said it was listening to suggestions to improve the legislation amid concerns about the swift timetable of the Bill. The so-called 'reasoned amendment' tabled by Treasury select committee chairwoman Dame Meg Hillier had argued that disabled people have not been properly consulted and further scrutiny of the changes is needed. While the expected concessions look set to have reassured some of those who had been leading the rebellion, other MPs remain opposed. Speaking to the PA news agency, Rachel Maskell said: 'As the Government is seeking to reform the system they should protect all disabled people until they have completed their co-produced consultation and co-produced implementation. 'I cannot vote for something that will have such a significant impact … as disabled people are not involved, it is just a backroom deal.' One MP said that ministers would need to 'go back to the drawing board' to make the Bill acceptable. Another said they expected the legislation would get through second reading if the Government conceded the key sticking points relating to existing Pip claimants, the health element of universal credit and a policy consultation. 'It would need to be in the Bill, not just a commitment,' they said. Speaking in the Commons on Wednesday, Sir Keir told MPs he wanted the reforms to reflect 'Labour values of fairness' and that discussions about the changes would continue over the coming days. He insisted there was 'consensus across the House on the urgent need for reform' of the 'broken' welfare system. 'I know colleagues across the House are eager to start fixing that, and so am I, and that all colleagues want to get this right, and so do I,' he said. 'We want to see reform implemented with Labour values of fairness. 'That conversation will continue in the coming days, so we can begin making change together on Tuesday.' There was mixed reaction among charities to the prospect of concessions. Learning disability charity Mencap said the news would be a 'huge relief to thousands of people living in fear of what the future holds'. 'It is the right thing to do and sends a clear message – cutting disability benefits is not a fair way to mend the black hole in the public purse,' director of strategy Jackie O'Sullivan said. But the MS Society urged rebels to hold firm and block the Bill, insisting any Government offer to water down the reforms would amount to 'kicking the can down the road and delaying an inevitable disaster'. Head of campaigns at the charity, Charlotte Gill, said: 'We urge MPs not to be swayed by these last ditch attempts to force through a harmful Bill with supposed concessions. 'The only way to avoid a catastrophe today and in the future is to stop the cuts altogether by halting the Bill in its tracks.' The Tories described concessions as 'the latest in a growing list of screeching U-turns' from the Government. Shadow chancellor Mel Stride said: 'Under pressure from his own MPs, Starmer has made another completely unfunded spending commitment. 'Labour's welfare chaos will cost hardworking taxpayers. 'We can't afford Labour.'
