Over 100 Labour MPs threaten to derail flagship policy over disability and health support concerns.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to press forward with his government’s controversial welfare reform package, despite mounting opposition from within his own Labour Party.

More than 100 Labour MPs are preparing to rebel in a crucial vote next week, accusing the government’s plan of failing to adequately support disabled people and those living with long-term health conditions. If passed, the revolt would mark the largest internal challenge to Starmer’s authority since his landslide general election victory a year ago.

Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions, Starmer defended the reforms as “necessary modernisation” of a system that “too often traps people in poverty rather than lifting them out of it.” He insisted the changes would streamline benefits, reduce fraud, and increase incentives to work.

But critics within Labour including several prominent backbenchers and former ministers argue that the proposals weaken the social safety net. “This bill is not compassionate. It is punitive,” said MP Rachel Stevens, one of the rebellion’s organizers. “We will not support legislation that abandons the most vulnerable in our society.”

The upcoming vote has become a key test of party unity. Starmer’s welfare overhaul is a cornerstone of his economic platform, aimed at reducing public spending while shifting resources toward job creation and skills training.

Behind closed doors, party whips have been working to prevent the rebellion from turning into a full-scale leadership crisis. Sources say Starmer is considering limited concessions on disability support to win over some dissenters.

Polls show the public is divided, with some backing reform in principle, but others concerned about the impact on people with chronic health needs. The Conservative opposition has so far remained largely silent, choosing instead to highlight Labour’s internal rift.