Is Keir Starmer losing control of his party?

The News Agents

Global

Daily News, News, Government, Politics

4.2 • 4.3K Ratings

🗓️ 26 June 2025

⏱️ 31 minutes

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Summary

Remember how there was going to be no row back and no change to the government welfare reform bill? Well, now it seems there might be...

Starmer's team are talking about the importance of “conversations with colleagues“ after an amendment signed by 120 Labour MPs showed them how easily they could lose a major vote on Tuesday. Those conversations are code - as is “listening mode“. Are we about to see a climb down? A change of policy? Or watch the whole bill disappear?

We talk to Douglas Alexander about the direction of the bill, the party and our trade deal with Trump.

The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcript

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0:00.0	The Newsagents podcast is brought to you by HSBC UK, opening up a world of opportunity.
0:09.0	This is a global player original podcast.
0:12.6	Can she, can she at least assure the House that the vote on Tuesday will actually go ahead.
0:21.0	On Tuesday?
0:22.0	Deputy Prime Minister.
0:23.8	Mr Speaker, I don't know if he sort of listened to what I said because I was reading off the script,
0:29.4	but what I can tell him, and I don't need a script, we will go ahead on Tuesday.
0:34.6	All week, the political story that has dominated at home has been that revolt by backbenchers,
0:43.6	around 120 Labour backbenchers who have signed an amendment which suggests they are deeply,
0:50.9	deeply unhappy with Kirstama's welfare reforms.
0:56.0	So Angela Rainer there sounds as though she's talking tough,
0:59.9	but behind the scenes, our Labour about to make big concessions to their backbenchers to win this crucial vote.
1:09.8	Welcome to the Newsagents.
1:15.3	The Newsagents.
1:17.0	It's John.
1:17.6	It's Emily.
1:18.4	And a little bit later on,
1:19.9	we're going to be talking to Douglas Alexander.
1:22.0	The government's unveiling a new trade strategy.
1:24.8	He is the Cabinet Minister responsible.
1:26.9	We're going to be actually talking to him
1:28.3	about that, but of course about these welfare reforms, the personal independence payments. It's probably
	...

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