Starmer braces for welfare cuts rebellion as Scottish Labour MP warns 'many will die'

Keir Starmer is facing a backbench rebellion from Labour MPs outraged by the prospect of sweeping cuts to welfare, as one of his own backbenchers warned ‘many will die’.

The Treasury is expected to make significant welfare cuts ahead of the Spring Statement at the end of this month, with the Chancellor Rachel Reeves looking to make public spending savings given tighter fiscal headroom.

The prospect has seen divides in Scottish Labour, with five Scottish Labour MPs signing a letter as part of the 'Get Britain Working' group, backing the UK Government's proposed benefit cuts. Graeme Downie, Blair McDougall, Frank McNally, Gregor Poynton and Joani Reid described the welfare reforms are "truly progressive".

However, Brian Leishman, the MP for Alloa and Grangemouth, disagreed, warning his party that reducing welfare would impact the “most vulnerable, disadvantaged and poorest in society”.

Speaking to The Scotsman, he said: “The government has to look after those people and by cutting welfare then there is no doubt in my mind that people will be pushed into forever poverty and many will die.

“Any society should be judged on how we look after those that are the most disadvantaged and vulnerable.

“Hundreds of thousands of excess deaths were the result of 14 years of Conservative austerity and the Labour Party should always be opposed to the politics that impoverishes people.

“I didn’t become a Labour Party member, or a Labour Councillor or a Labour MP to cut welfare for those people that desperately need help.

“Alleviating poverty and making sure everyone has enough to eat is not radical politics. It’s caring and compassionate and should be the UK we try to create.

I’ve had 50 constituents reach out and tell me about their concerns and worries and how it will impact them or loved ones. And this is the tip of the iceberg in regards to how many people welfare cuts would impact.”

Reports suggest up to 80 could rebel against any such cut, though Government insiders insist the number is closer to 30.

Brian Leishman MP criticised the prospect of cuts

Mr Leishman also reiterated his calls for a wealth tax, arguing another route was available to ministers.

He said: “Let’s reject cuts, let’s be anti austerity and let’s have an annual wealth tax of 2 per cent on those with assets of £10 million and more. It’ll raise £24 billion and then let’s get to work to improve living standards and make the UK a more equal society.”

Labour MP Rachael Maskell is another speaking out over the plans, saying she had detected “deep, deep concern” from colleagues in the Commons.

Speaking on Sunday, she said: “There’s got to be a carrot approach not a stick approach.

“We’ve got to make the right interventions and that doesn’t start with the stick.”

Following the letter signed by some in Scottish Labour, the SNP challenged Anas Sarwar to "come out of hiding and order Scottish Labour MPs to oppose the Labour government's shameful cuts to disabled people".

SNP Work and Pensions spokesperson Kirsty Blackman MP said: "It's clear the Labour Party lied to voters when it promised it wouldn't impose austerity cuts - and as a result of these appalling cuts people with extreme disabilities will be pushed into poverty.

"The Labour government is, yet again, punching down on the poorest just as it did with the cuts to the winter fuel payment, international aid, and the two child benefit cap.

"It is staggering that right-wing Scottish Labour MPs are cheering on these cuts, which will hit their own constituents and thousands of the poorest and most vulnerable people in Scotland, on the same day that disability charities are warning about the catastrophic impact.

"Anas Sarwar must come out of hiding and order Scottish Labour MPs to oppose the Labour government's shameful cuts to disabled people. He personally promised voters there would be no cuts but, yet again, his promises have turned to dust and he's nowhere to be seen.”

Curbing the cost of welfare is expected to be among moves to contribute to savings.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has previously said there are 2.8 million people not in work due to ill-health and one in eight young people not in education, training or employment.

She has said an upcoming Health and Disability Green Paper will set out plans to support those who can work back into jobs, rather than write them off.

Downing Street said on Friday that the “broken security system is holding our people back”, with the Prime Minister’s official spokesman adding there has been an “unsustainable rise in welfare spending”.