Politics LIVE: Starmer stares down Labour REBELLION as revolting MPs look to block winter fuel allowance cuts

Sir Keir Starmer is staring down the barrel of a Labour rebellion in the Commons next week in a major blow just two months into his term as Prime Minister.

In PMQs yesterday, Starmer defended his party’s controversial choice to scale back winter fuel payments for pensioners in an attempt to account for what Labour have called the Conservative Government’s financial “black hole”.

His predecessor, Rishi Sunak, accused him of prioritising train drivers over Britain’s elderly population in “inflation-busting pay rises” while Tory MPs joined in with chants of “shame” from the benches – but it’s not just the Tories taking aim at the PM.

The winter fuel allowance cuts will face a vote in Parliament next week, but 10 Labour MPs have already publicly declared their opposition to the move.

The 10 have signed a Parliamentary motion calling on their own party leader to push back ending the payments, while more MPs have failed to rule out rebelling.

Among the group of potential rebels sit several new MPs including Jessica Asato, Melanie Onn and Neil Duncan-Jordan – the latter of which put forward said motion.

The upcoming vote is set to be whipped, The Times reports, but sources have indicated that Labour haven’t yet decided whether those who break rank would face the same level of discipline handed out to MPs who rebelled against the two-child benefit cap at the end of July.

Back then, the PM suspended seven Labour MPs for six months – but insiders have counselled that there might be a little more wiggle-room next week as the upcoming winter fuel payments vote isn’t tied to the King’s Speech.

Starmer defended the cuts yesterday, telling the Commons: “No Prime Minister wants to do what we have to do in relation to the winter fuel allowance, but we have to take the tough decision to stabilise our economy to ensure that we can grow it for the future.”

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