Keir Starmer has suffered a major rebellion by Labour MPs against welfare cuts which are set to push 150,000 people into poverty. In a major blow to the prime minister’s authority, dozens of his own backbenchers voted against the PM’s flagship Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill.

However, t here are doubts over whether the bill, in its current form, will make any significant savings, after a series of government concessions. Prime Minister Keir Starmer was forced to abandon a key plank of his welfare reform package in the face of a Labour rebellion, which would have led to a Commons defeat.

The government has been forced into huge concessions to get its controversial benefits cuts plans through the House of Commons