PM Starmer Faces Down First Backbench Rebellion, Suspends 7 MPs

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has faced the first backbench rebellion of his tenure in office after seven of his Labour party MPs voted in favour of a motion put forward by the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) to end a policy that denies parents access to claiming certain child welfare benefit payments for more than two children.

• Former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Imran Hussain, Apsana Begum and Zarah Sultana - all from the far-left of the Labour party and most associated with former leader and now independent MP Jeremy Corbyn - voted for SNP motion. They have subsequently had the Labour whip withdrawn for six months, meaning they will sit as independent MPs.
• The failure of the SNP motion to the end to the cap - a policy that would cost an estimated GBP3bn - does not mean the issue has gone away. As the BBC reports, "...there are many more Labour MPs who are opposed to the two-child benefit cap. [...] A government source said Labour's policy [...] had been agreed going into the election [...]The government has said it is not prepared to make "unfunded promises" by abolishing the cap."
• The decision to suspend the MPs could stave off any further rebellions with MPs - notably those hoping of ministerial careers - wary of angering the party leadership. Alternatively it could see a galvanising among MPs on the left of the party displeased with Starmer's centrist stance, and more willing to speak out once the 'honeymoon period' following the landslide election win has ended.