Starmer defends suspending rebel MPs after backbench criticism

Sir Keir Starmer has defended suspending four of his own MPs, saying those who “repeatedly break the whip” have to be dealt with.

In his first comments on the decision to purge a handful of backbenchers, the prime minister said all Labour MPs were elected on a “manifesto for change” and that needs to be delivered “as a Labour government”.

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Asked by Sky’s political editor Beth Rigby if the suspensions make him look weak, Sir Keir said: “I’m determined that we will change this country for the better for millions of working people.

“I’m not going to be deflected from that and therefore we have to deal with people who repeatedly break the whip, because everyone was elected as a Labour MP on the manifesto of change and everybody needs to deliver as a Labour government.”

The casualties of the crackdown were Brian Leishman, Chris Hinchliff, Neil Duncan-Jordan and Rachael Maskell, who are no longer part of Labour’s parliamentary party and will sit as independent MPs pending a review.

The move has been criticised by several of their colleagues who say the party leadership should listen to backbench concerns rather than punish them for speaking out.

The four MPs had voted against the government’s welfare cuts earlier this month. However, it is understood this isn’t the only reason for their suspension with party sources citing “repeated breaches of party discipline”.

More than 100 Labour MPs had initially spoken out against the plan to cut personal independent payments (PIP), though only 47 voted against the bill’s third reading after it was watered down significantly in the face of defeat.

Former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair faced a similar-sized revolt when he tried to push through welfare reforms in 1997, but he did not suspend those who voted against him.

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Sir Keir was speaking in a Q&A following a press conference alongside the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

He said he is determined to carry out his reforms “because we inherited a broken economy and broken public services” and “no government has inherited both of those”.

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However, he is facing a fiscal blackhole as the original welfare plan had aimed to save £5bn before it was softened.

It also remains unclear how the government will fund extending the winter fuel allowance, which was another concession to angry backbenchers following the controversial decision to scrap universal payments.

On Wednesday night a chorus of MPs who have been critical of the government hit out at the decision to suspend four of their colleagues.

Ian Byrne, the Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby who was temporarily suspended last year for revolting over the two-child benefit cap, said: “These decisions don’t show strength. They are damaging Labour’s support and risk rolling out the red carpet for Reform.”

Richard Burgon, the Labour MP for Leeds East, said a key role of backbenchers is to challenge policies that “make a Reform government much more likely” and the prime minister should be “listening to those voices, not punishing them”.

Jon Trickett, Labour MP for Normanton and Hemsworth, said: “It’s not a sin to stand up for the poor and disabled”, adding: “Solidarity with the suspended four.”