The PM loves his time abroad, swanning about looking important at fancy foreign summits. He’s barely set foot on home soil in weeks. Yesterday, for the second time in a row, Angela Rayner stood in for him at Prime Minister’s questions. Tory shadow chancellor Mel Stride quipped it was great to see Rayner standing in again, adding that “there are many sitting behind her who wish this were a permanent arrangement”.

The PM enjoys the prestige of foreign summits, but he’s less keen on facing angry voters at home. Increasingly, he can’t face his own party either. He’s now under siege from the very Labour MPs who won their seats during last year’s landslide. They’re rebelling over Starmer’s plans to cut disability benefits. More than 120 Labour MPs have signed a “fatal” amendment designed to kill off the welfare reforms altogether.

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Keir Starmer caves into Labour welfare rebels with ‘£3bn’ splurge to avoid defeat

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Crisis for Keir Starmer as even his friends say it’s ‘start of the end’

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Angela Rayner goes full Vicky Pollard in an embarrassment to UK politics

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Keir Starmer breaks his silence over benefit cuts U-turn after massive Labour rebellion

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Rachel Reeves grimaces as Tories force Angela Rayner to defend her over tax rises

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Mel Stride has MPs in stitches as he exposes Angela Rayner’s leadership hopes

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Keir Starmer could face bruising no-confidence vote after monumental Labour rebellion

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POLL: Should Keir Starmer resign if he makes another u-turn?

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Keir Starmer torn apart over ‘humiliating U-turn’ on welfare cuts

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Diane Abbott issues huge warning to Keir Starmer after welfare U-turn

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Keir Starmer set to make humiliating U-turn as Labour rebels crush plan

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Keir Starmer blind panic as 123 Labour MP welfare rebels tell PM: ‘F*** you!’

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Sadiq Khan lashes out against Keir Starmer’s benefit cuts as Labour civil war explodes

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Humiliation for Keir Starmer as mass Labour revolt erupts with 100 MPs furious

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GMB’s Susanna Reid tears apart Labour with scathing dig ‘how can they do this?’

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Kemi Badenoch offers to rescue Keir Starmer in welfare crisis

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GB News interrupted for ‘breaking news’ as Keir Starmer left humiliated

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Keir Starmer reveals huge decision ahead of controversial vote next week

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Labour descends into bitter civil war as Starmer braces for huge rebellion on benefit cuts

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Keir Starmer is finished – here’s what happens next to Labour’s little puppet

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Keir Starmer caves into Labour welfare rebels with ‘£3bn’ splurge to avoid defeat

Comments

Crisis for Keir Starmer as even his friends say it’s ‘start of the end’

Comments

Angela Rayner goes full Vicky Pollard in an embarrassment to UK politics

Comments

Keir Starmer breaks his silence over benefit cuts U-turn after massive Labour rebellion

Comments

Rachel Reeves grimaces as Tories force Angela Rayner to defend her over tax rises

Comments

Mel Stride has MPs in stitches as he exposes Angela Rayner’s leadership hopes

Comments

Keir Starmer could face bruising no-confidence vote after monumental Labour rebellion

Comments

POLL: Should Keir Starmer resign if he makes another u-turn?

Comments

Keir Starmer torn apart over ‘humiliating U-turn’ on welfare cuts

Comments

Diane Abbott issues huge warning to Keir Starmer after welfare U-turn

Comments

Keir Starmer set to make humiliating U-turn as Labour rebels crush plan

Comments

Keir Starmer blind panic as 123 Labour MP welfare rebels tell PM: ‘F*** you!’

Comments

Sadiq Khan lashes out against Keir Starmer’s benefit cuts as Labour civil war explodes

Comments

Humiliation for Keir Starmer as mass Labour revolt erupts with 100 MPs furious

Comments

GMB’s Susanna Reid tears apart Labour with scathing dig ‘how can they do this?’

Comments

Kemi Badenoch offers to rescue Keir Starmer in welfare crisis

Comments

GB News interrupted for ‘breaking news’ as Keir Starmer left humiliated

Comments

Keir Starmer reveals huge decision ahead of controversial vote next week

Comments

Labour descends into bitter civil war as Starmer braces for huge rebellion on benefit cuts

Comments

Keir Starmer is finished – here’s what happens next to Labour’s little puppet

Comments

Keir Starmer caves into Labour welfare rebels with ‘£3bn’ splurge to avoid defeat

Comments

Crisis for Keir Starmer as even his friends say it’s ‘start of the end’

Comments

Angela Rayner goes full Vicky Pollard in an embarrassment to UK politics

Comments

Keir Starmer breaks his silence over benefit cuts U-turn after massive Labour rebellion

Comments

Rachel Reeves grimaces as Tories force Angela Rayner to defend her over tax rises

Comments

Mel Stride has MPs in stitches as he exposes Angela Rayner’s leadership hopes

Comments

Keir Starmer could face bruising no-confidence vote after monumental Labour rebellion

Comments

POLL: Should Keir Starmer resign if he makes another u-turn?

Comments

Keir Starmer torn apart over ‘humiliating U-turn’ on welfare cuts

Comments

Diane Abbott issues huge warning to Keir Starmer after welfare U-turn

Comments

Keir Starmer set to make humiliating U-turn as Labour rebels crush plan

Comments

Keir Starmer blind panic as 123 Labour MP welfare rebels tell PM: ‘F*** you!’

Comments

Sadiq Khan lashes out against Keir Starmer’s benefit cuts as Labour civil war explodes

Comments

Humiliation for Keir Starmer as mass Labour revolt erupts with 100 MPs furious

Comments

GMB’s Susanna Reid tears apart Labour with scathing dig ‘how can they do this?’

Comments

Kemi Badenoch offers to rescue Keir Starmer in welfare crisis

Comments

GB News interrupted for ‘breaking news’ as Keir Starmer left humiliated

Comments

Keir Starmer reveals huge decision ahead of controversial vote next week

Comments

Labour descends into bitter civil war as Starmer braces for huge rebellion on benefit cuts

Comments

Keir Starmer is finished – here’s what happens next to Labour’s little puppet

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They say the measures will strip help from 800,000 vulnerable people, including those who struggle to wash or dress. That’s not why they joined Labour.

Others are simply furious at being ignored. According to The Times, talk of “regime change” is now chillingly real.

As the crisis grew, Starmer was in his well-appointed NATO bunker. It must have felt safe there.

Labour rebels claim they don’t want him gone. Not yet.

But they’re gunning for his inner circle, especially Morgan McSweeney, the PM’s chief of staff and election fixer, and hapless Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

If McSweeney or Reeves fall, Starmer becomes a hollow man. Just a puppet leader, held aloft by the left. He’ll be in Downing Street, but effectively out of power.

He knows it too. That’s why No 10 is now scrambling to make concessions.

He’s made a personal appeal to backbenchers, begging them to relent. But it may not be enough to buy off the revolt.

At last count, 123 Labour MPs were backing the amendment. That’s enough to wipe out the government’s majority in the Commons.

He might then face the nightmare of a no-confidence vote.

Labour heavyweight David Blunkett warned the government could “crash into crisis” if the PM presses on and loses.

But any U-turn will scream weakness and destroy Starmer’s chances of pushing through further reforms.

Especially after the humiliation of the winter fuel payment fiasco.

As I said yesterday, that spells disaster for taxpayers. Reeves is relying on £5billion of welfare cuts to balance the books.

Without them, it’s even more likely she’ll launch a second major tax raid in the autumn Budget. Which may thrill tax-happy Labour MPs, but further alienate those who pay.

What a mess. And it’s less than a year since Starmer secured a 174-seat majority.

Labour has shown it’s better at protesting than governing. The left of the party still reckons it can tax and spend its way out of every problem.

If Starmer can’t control this rabble with his massive majority, nobody can. I bet he wishes he was back in the Hague. But even NATO can’t protect him from his own MPs.