Labour leader Keir Starmer is expected to face mounting scrutiny at Prime Minister’s Questions this Wednesday, following reports of a potential U-turn on planned cuts to winter fuel payments and disability benefits.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has signalled that Labour may reconsider aspects of its controversial welfare reform plans after growing backlash from within the party. On Tuesday, Reeves indicated she is open to further discussions regarding the decision to scrap winter fuel payments for pensioners, suggesting that a reversal may be on the table.
Alongside this, senior Labour officials are said to be reviewing proposed changes to disability benefit entitlements, which have sparked widespread concern among backbenchers and grassroots campaigners. The current reform package has stirred unrest across the Labour movement, with dozens of MPs reportedly preparing to rebel.
Two separate letters have been circulated among Labour MPs and ministers, demanding that the leadership amend the proposed changes. One letter is understood to have gathered close to 120 signatures, highlighting the scale of internal discontent.
Starmer is also likely to face questions over reported tensions between two of Labour’s most senior figures. A leaked memo from Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner to the Chancellor has revealed proposals for a series of wealth tax rises aimed at raising an estimated £3 to £4 billion annually. These measures were designed to protect ordinary workers from tax hikes.
Despite these proposals, Reeves did not include any of the suggested tax reforms in her spring statement and instead opted to announce cuts to public spending. This decision has fuelled claims of a policy rift within the top ranks of the Labour Party.
The debate is set to intensify during Prime Minister’s Questions, where Starmer will be pressed on the leadership’s stance on social welfare reforms and party unity. Many expect Labour’s direction on benefits and taxation to become a key issue in the months leading up to the general election.
Prime Minister’s Questions will be broadcast live from the House of Commons at 12pm on Wednesday, with the nation watching closely for any shifts in Labour’s position.
