UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has scaled back planned welfare reforms after facing strong opposition from his own Labour Party. The government had proposed cutting key disability benefits
— including the Personal Independence Payment — which could have affected millions and saved £5 billion annually.
But the move sparked backlash from over 120 Labour MPs, risking a damaging defeat in Parliament. To prevent a rebellion, Starmer announced that current benefit recipients would not be affected.
Some Labour members welcomed the concession, calling it a step forward. Others, like MP Nadia Whittome, said it didn’t go far enough, as future claimants would still face cuts.
This marks yet another policy U-turn for Starmer, who has also backtracked on energy subsidies and launched a child abuse inquiry under pressure. Starmer defended the shift, saying he had listened to concerns and was trying to fix a "broken" welfare system.
Still, the reversal adds strain to public finances. The Resolution Foundation estimates these U-turns will cost the government £4 billion, raising the likelihood of tax hikes in the upcoming budget. Photo by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street, Wikimedia commons.
