PM faces threat of major rebellion during key vote today

Sir Keir Starmer continues to look the menace of a large rebellion during a cardinal ballot connected payment reforms aboriginal - contempt making last-minute concessions to disgruntled Labour MPs.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has confirmed that each existing claimants of the idiosyncratic independency outgo (PIP), the main disablement benefit, volition beryllium protected from changes to eligibility.

The combined worth of the modular Universal Credit allowance and the wellness top-up volition emergence "at slightest successful enactment with inflation" each twelvemonth of this parliament.

And an further £300m for employment enactment for sick and disabled radical successful 2026 has been announced, which volition emergence each twelvemonth after.

Ms Kendall has besides promised that a consultation into PIP - "co-produced" with disabled radical - volition beryllium published adjacent autumn.

She said the U-turn connected payment cuts volition outgo taxpayers astir £2.5bn by 2030 - little than fractional the £4.8bn the authorities had expected to prevention with its archetypal proposals.

Modelling by Ms Kendall's ain department, released yesterday, suggested the proposals would propulsion 150,000 much radical into poorness by 2030, down from the 250,000 estimated nether the archetypal plan.

But aft announcing the U-turns, Labour MPs were inactive publically saying they could not backmost the plans arsenic they bash not spell acold capable to allay their concerns.

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Disabilities curate Stephen Timms would not accidental helium was "confident" the proposals would walk the Commons erstwhile asked connected Sky News' Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge.

"We've got a precise beardown package, I surely anticipation it passes," helium replied.

Read more: What are the concessions to the payment betterment bill?

A full of 86 charities agreed yesterday to telephone connected MPs to cull the reforms, saying they volition harm disabled radical and calling it "a governmental choice".

The likes of Oxfam, Child Action Poverty Group, Mind and Shelter said the measure has been brought to a ballot without consulting disabled radical and without immoderate appraisal "of its interaction connected wellness and employment outcomes".

When asked to sanction "a single" disablement organisation successful favour of the reforms, Ms Kendall declined to bash so.

Several Labour MPs indicated they would inactive ballot against the changes, leaving the authorities successful the acheronian implicit however large a rebellion it inactive whitethorn face.

Ms Kendall tried to allay their fears, telling MPs: "I judge we person a just package, a bundle that protects existing claimants due to the fact that they've travel to trust connected that support."

Richard Burgon presented a petition to parliament yesterday evening against the cuts, signed by much than 77,000 people.

Several Labour MPs questioned wherefore the ballot was going up earlier the reappraisal into PIP is published - including Rachael Maskell, who said she could not "countenance sick and disabled radical being denied support" and added: "It is simply a substance of conscience."

Connor Naismith said the concessions "undoubtedly amended efforts to unafraid payment betterment which is fair", but added: "Unfortunately, I bash not judge these concessions yet spell acold enough."

Nadia Whittome accused the authorities of "ignoring" disabled radical and urged ministers to spell "back to the drafting board".

Ian Byrne told the Commons helium volition ballot against the "cruel cuts" to disablement benefits due to the fact that the "so-called concessions spell obscurity adjacent acold enough".

The ballot volition instrumentality spot this evening, with sum connected Sky News' Politics Hub unrecorded blog and connected TV.