Labour welfare bill latest: Starmer offers rebel MPs fresh concession ahead of vote

MS Society urges MPs to vote against reforms despite second U-turn by government.

Charlotte Gill, from the MS Society, said: “We thought last week’s so-called concessions were last minute. But these panicked eleventh hour changes still don’t fix a rushed, poorly thought-out bill.

“MS is debilitating, exhausting and unpredictable. And people with the condition need reassurance that support will be there for them should they need it, now or in the future.

“The only thing for MPs to do now is to vote to halt this harmful bill to stop the cuts and protect disability benefits.”

Kemi Badenoch has described Labour’s welfare reform Bill as “pointless” after ministers made further concessions in an attempt to quell a backbench revolt.

In a post on X, the Conservative leader said: “This is an utter capitulation. Labour’s welfare Bill is now a TOTAL waste of time. It effectively saves £0, helps no-one into work, and does NOT control spending.

“It’s pointless. They should bin it, do their homework, and come back with something serious. Starmer cannot govern.”

Leading rebel Rachael Maskell has said she is determined to press on with the reasoned amendment vote, which would halt the Bill from progressing through Parliament.

“The whole Bill is now unravelling and is a complete farce,” the York Central MP said.

“What it won’t do is stop the suffering of disabled people, which is why we are determined to go ahead with the reasoned amendment and attempt to vote down the Bill at second reading.”

A Labour MP has expressed confusion about what MPs will be voting on this evening, after the Government offered a further concession to Labour rebels over its welfare reforms.

In a point of order, Andy McDonald (Middlesbrough and Thornaby East), a signatory of Rachael Maskell’s amendment, said: “We’ve just heard that a pivotal part of this Bill, clause five, is not going to be effective. So I ask the question, what are we supposed to be voting on tonight?

“Is it the Bill as drawn, or another Bill, because I’m confused. I think people in this chamber will need that clarification.”

Deputy Speaker Caroline Nokes replied: “The vote will be on the Bill as it stands. We’ve had a very clear undertaking from the despatch box as to what will happen at committee.”

Work and pensions minister Sir Stephen Timms had earlier told MPs that changes to personal independence payment eligibility activities and descriptors will only be made following the Timms review.

Intervening during the second reading debate, Sir Stephen said: “(Labour MP Andrew Pakes) and others across the House during this debate have raised concerns that the changes to Pip are coming ahead of the conclusions of the review of the assessment that I will be leading.

“We have heard those concerns, and that is why I can announce that we are going to remove the clause five from the Bill at committee, that we will move straight to the wider review, sometimes referred to as the Timms review, and only make changes to Pip eligibility activities and descriptors following that review.

“The Government is committed to concluding the review by the autumn of next year.”

Our political editor David Maddox reports:

There is a genuine concern that this rebellion could actually kill the bill.

While the initial thought early in the day was that many Labour MPs would abstain the number getting to their feet saying they will vote against the bill has suggested that the government is in genuine trouble.

Stephen Timms has just got to his feet to confirm a new concession delaying the disability reforms until after his bill.

This has only been done as a last ditch effort to stave off defeat. It is all very embarrassing for a government with a majority of 156.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, the now-independent MP for Islington North, told the Commons: “This Bill did not come from an understanding of the inequality and the injustice in our society. The whole origin of this Bill was a demand to save £5 billion – and that £5 billion was wanted by the Defence Secretary (John Healey) for more armaments, and no doubt other departments as well were making demands.”

He suggested a Labour “tradition seems to have been stood on its head” and urged ministers to withdraw the Bill “altogether”.

The latest analysis from our Whitehall editor Kate Devlin:

An 11th hour concession to Labour rebels could create a fresh financial ‘black hole’ for the chancellor.

Amid fears that more and more Labour MPs were planning to vote against Keir Starmer’s flagship welfare reforms, the government has staged a second U-turn.

Centering on the timing of a promised review into personal independence payments, to be carried out by the disabilities minister Sir Stephen Timms, it could mean the changes save even less money than expected – for the second time in just a few days – piling even more pressure on an already beleaguered Ms Reeves.

Our political editor David Maddox reports:

A late concession has been offered by the government to Labour rebels amid fears that votes are stacking up against Keir Starmer’s crucial legislation.

The offer, confirmed by a government source, is around the timing of a promised review into personal independence payments, to be carried out by the disabilities ministerSir Stephen Timms.

Numerous MPs had been asking for a delay in the legislation until after Timms had reported back in November 2026.

Labour MPs were concerned that the planned changes to Pip for new claimants were due to come into force before ministers had the chance to act on the review’s findings and would create a two tier or even three tier system.

The changes are due to come into force in November 2026, which is also around the time the review would report back.