Politics

Sir Keir Starmer’s controversial welfare bill has passed its first hurdle in the Commons despite a sizeable rebellion from his MPs. The prime minister’s watered-down Universal Credit and Personal Independent Payment Bill was backed by a majority of 75 on Tuesday evening. A total of 49 Labour MPs voted against the bill – the largest…

Rebel Labour MPs have been given a last-minute concession to the welfare bill, Sky News understands. In a further attempt to allay dozens of Labour MPs’ fears that the bill will be detrimental to disabled people, the government is understood to have promised any changes to eligibility for personal independence payment (PIP) will only be…

The chief rabbi has described the BBC’s response to anti-IDF chanting at Glastonbury as “belated and mishandled” – after the culture secretary claimed there is a “problem of leadership” at the national broadcaster. Sir Ephraim Mirvis said “vile Jew-hatred” had been aired at the Somerset music festival and it was a “time of national shame”….

Nearly 40 Labour MPs have signalled they are still prepared to vote against Sir Keir Starmer’s welfare cuts, despite the prime minister offering significant concessions to avoid a damaging rebellion. Thirty-nine Labour MPs have backed a fresh amendment to the updated welfare bill, which instead of cutting benefits for existing claimants, now only restricts them…

The culture secretary has claimed there is “a problem of leadership” at the BBC, as the controversy over Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury performance deepens. Lisa Nandy criticised the corporation over its decision not to pull the livestream after the band’s frontman shouted “death, death to the IDF” – referring to the Israel Defence Forces – on…

👉Listen to Politics at Sam and Anne’s on your podcast app👈     Sky News’ Sam Coates and Politico’s Anne McElvoy serve up their essential guide to the day in British politics. It’s judgement day for the government’s welfare bill and it’s unclear from all sides whether the legislation will pass, despite billions of pounds worth of…

Sir Keir Starmer continues to face the threat of a major rebellion during a key vote on welfare reforms later – despite making last-minute concessions to disgruntled Labour MPs. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has confirmed that all existing claimants of the personal independence payment (PIP), the main disability benefit, will be protected from…

The government has won a long-running legal challenge about its decision to continue allowing the sale of spare parts for F-35 fighter jets to Israel, while suspending other arms licences over concerns about international humanitarian law in Gaza. But a key part of its case has highlighted mixed messaging about its position on the risk…

A former Conservative minister has been “asked to step back” from his role as a trade envoy following claims a company he was being paid by helped him write questions of claims to government departments. George Freeman was previously listed as a trade envoy for Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Brunei, but Downing Street said…

An extra 150,000 people will still be pushed into poverty despite the government making significant concessions on its plans to cut welfare, according to its own analysis. The government document, published today, reflects its decision to water down some of the more severe changes to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and the health top-up for universal…