British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has suspended several Labour lawmakers following a rebellion over his government’s proposed welfare reforms, in a move seen as an attempt to reassert his authority after a series of policy U-turns.
The suspension follows a vote on July 1, where at least four MPs — Brian Leishman, Neil Duncan-Jordan, Rachael Maskell, and reportedly Chris Hinchliff — defied the party line by voting against a bill aimed at cutting disability and sickness benefits. Their dissent came despite Starmer’s earlier climbdown on the same proposals in the face of internal backlash.
Leishman’s office confirmed to AFP that the Scottish MP had been temporarily suspended from the Labour Party. Duncan-Jordan, representing Poole in southern England, defended his decision, saying:
“I understood that voting against the government could come at a cost, but I couldn’t support making disabled people poorer.”
Starmer’s attempt to tighten party discipline comes amid a turbulent first year in office. After securing a landslide victory in the July 2024 general election, Labour has since been plagued by internal divisions and growing criticism over policy reversals.
In recent weeks, the government has backtracked on several controversial policies, including a now-scrapped plan to end winter heating allowances for pensioners and initial resistance to a national inquiry into child sex exploitation — both reversed after party unrest and public backlash.
Political analyst Professor Steven Fielding of the University of Nottingham said the suspensions are part of a broader strategy by Starmer to enforce discipline across Labour’s parliamentary ranks.
“He wants to send a message: ‘You got away with this one, but don’t keep pushing.’ It’s about showing authority,” Fielding told AFP.
But he warned it could backfire “It’s risky, especially given how many MPs oppose the welfare reforms. Starmer needs to listen and understand why they’re rebelling.”
Rachael Maskell, another of the suspended MPs, called on the prime minister to rebuild trust with the party’s backbenchers.
“We need to build bridges. That would make him a better prime minister,” she said.
Starmer’s leadership, once buoyed by a sweeping mandate, is now under pressure. Despite Labour’s parliamentary dominance with a 160-seat majority, recent national polls show the party trailing Reform UK, the right-wing party led by Nigel Farage, in several key constituencies.
Critics within Labour argue that Starmer’s approach prioritizes appeasing right-wing voters over upholding traditional centre-left values, leaving the party ideologically adrift.
Labour officials have yet to issue a formal statement regarding the suspensions.
