Keir Starmer will face a vote of no confidence if MPs reject the benefits bill, a former Department for Work and Pensions chief has said.
Lord David Blunkett has brutally warned the PM a failed vote could see the end of his premiership, just 12 months into his time in No 10.
It comes as Keir Starmer revealed he will push ahead with the welfare reforms with next week’s vote being a crucial test of his leadership. Currently, over 120 Labour MPs have signed an amendment to block the changes.
Speaking to LBC, the former work and pensions secretary said: “If they lost it, they’d have to go for a vote of confidence, I think.
“But the embarrassment of that one year in, the difficulty of that leaves you with two problems.
“One is you’ve been humiliated and the second is you’ve still got the problem. You know, the welfare issue has not gone away, so solving the problem, not taking the hit, is the sensible solution.”
Led by senior select committee chairs, Labour figures have filed an amendment that declines to pass Sir Keir’s welfare shake-up and calls for a pause, including for further consultation into the policy and for support to be in place before any changes.
Party insiders claim the amendment is not intended to derail the welfare bill entirely, but as a huge chunk of the parliamentary party is uneasy about the plans, that could be the eventual outcome.
However, Starmer defended his decision today, saying: “The welfare system was broken by the Tories in their 14 years in power, we are elected into mend it. It doesn’t work for anyone. It traps people in a position where they can’t get into work.”
At a parliamentary Labour Party meeting, DWP boss Liz Kendall urged MPs to support the government.
“The path to fairer society – one where everyone thrives, where people who can work get the support they need, and where we protect those who cannot – that is the path we seek to build with our reforms,” she said. “Our plans are rooted in fairness, for those who need support and for taxpayers.”