British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has suspended multiple Labour Party lawmakers after they voted against his welfare reform proposals, in a bold move to reassert his grip on the party. The action follows mounting unrest within Labour ranks and Starmer’s recent climbdown on controversial plans to cut disability and sickness benefits.
Lawmakers Brian Leishman, Neil Duncan-Jordan, and Rachael Maskell confirmed their suspension, while The Times also reported Chris Hinchliff was affected. All four MPs opposed the welfare bill on July 1, defying party orders even after Starmer had watered down the proposals to avoid a damaging parliamentary defeat.
Leishman’s office told AFP the Scottish MP was temporarily removed from the party. Duncan-Jordan, representing Poole, said he accepted there could be consequences for defying the government but insisted he couldn’t support a policy that would “make disabled people poorer.”
Starmer has struggled to maintain unity during his first year in office, which has been marked by several policy reversals. In June, he reversed plans to scrap a winter heating allowance for pensioners and finally agreed to a national inquiry into child sex exploitation after resisting pressure.
Political analyst Steven Fielding described the suspensions as an attempt to restore discipline and send a clear message to other MPs who have rebelled. However, he warned the approach could backfire, given the widespread dissent within Labour’s parliamentary ranks. Fielding, a professor at the University of Nottingham, suggested Starmer should focus on dialogue, not punishment.
Despite a commanding majority of around 160 MPs, Starmer faces increasing tension between his centrist leadership and the party’s traditional left-leaning base. Labour’s standing has also slipped in recent national polls, with Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, gaining ground.
Rachael Maskell, while confirming her suspension, called on Starmer to engage more openly with backbenchers, saying it would help him grow as a leader and strengthen the party.
Labour officials have yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
