International News

UK Prime Minister Starmer Under Fire After Suspending Seven Labour MPs

Written by Jerry Alomatu on July 24, 2024

News Views: 48

Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, is set to address the House of Commons on Wednesday, following his suspension of seven Labour MPs who defied party lines over a contentious welfare policy. The MPs were suspended late Tuesday after supporting a motion to eliminate the controversial two-child limit on benefits, a policy introduced by the previous Conservative government.

The motion, aimed at ending the cap that restricts benefit payments to the first two children in most families, poses an early challenge to Starmer’s authority. The new UK leader acknowledged the “passion” of MPs opposing the policy but emphasized that there is “no silver bullet” to end child poverty.

Starmer’s decision to suspend the rebellious MPs, including former finance spokesman John McDonnell, demonstrates a decisive stance from his administration, which took power following a landslide victory in the July 4 general election. This election win ended Labour’s 14-year opposition period and came after Starmer’s efforts to steer the party back to the political centre ground from the hard-left stance under former leader Jeremy Corbyn.

On Tuesday, MPs voted 363 to 103 against a Scottish National Party amendment to scrap the cap, giving the government a 260-vote majority. Despite this, the Labour Party showed signs of internal dissent, with over 40 MPs recording no vote and seven voting against the party line.

Liverpool MP Kim Johnson, who voted with the government, noted the undeniable strength of feeling within the party, asserting that the campaign to end the cap would continue. The SNP’s Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn, criticized Labour for failing its “first major test in government,” accusing the party of perpetuating a policy causing significant poverty in the UK.

Starmer will face his first Prime Minister’s Questions session at 1100 GMT, where the politically charged two-child cap is expected to be a significant topic.