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Politics latest: 'Everybody should be worried': Labour rebel will still vote against welfare bill despite changes

Labour rebel Nadia Whittome has told Sky News she will not back the welfare bill despite the changes made by the government. It comes after Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall defended the government's decision to offer concessions after crisis talks with backbenchers.

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Electoral Dysfunction: What will Keir Starmer learn from the Labour welfare chaos?

It sounds like concessions are coming for the over 100 Labour MPs who had threatened to rebel over the government's planned welfare cuts.

On this episode, Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson, and Harriet Harman went over the possible options for the Prime Minister. They also talk about what Keir Starmer needs to learn from the chaos of the past few days.

Plus, is President Trump the "daddy" in his handling of the Israel-Iran conflict, as NATO head Mark Rutte may have suggested?

Remember, you can also watch us on 

RAF chief chosen to lead British armed forces

The head of the RAF has been confirmed as the new chief of Britain's armed forces.

The Ministry of Defence announced on Friday that Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton will take over as Chief of the Defence Staff from September.

As the professional head of the UK military, he will be responsible for delivering the strategic defence review published earlier this month, and takes up his post as the government seeks to boost defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by April 2027.

The strategic defence review also introduced a new, more powerful role for the chief of the defence staff, placing him in formal command of the other service chiefs for the first time as head of a new Military Strategic Headquarters.

Knighton, an RAF engineering officer, has served as chief of the air staff since 2023 and previously served as deputy chief of the defence staff between 2019 and 2022.

Sir Keir Starmer said Knighton had championed "a culture of innovation and excellence" while head of the RAF, adding: "I am certain he will make an exceptional leader of our armed forces as chief of the defence staff.

"In such a rapidly changing global context, we need our armed forces to be more lethal, better integrated and equipped for the future as they keep our country safe, I know Rich will rise to that challenge."

Is your MP planning to rebel on welfare?

Things have changed since Thursday, when at least 127 Labour rebels had backed a "reasoned amendment" to the government's welfare bill.

Overnight, Sir Keir Starmer agreed a number of concessions to the policy, largely around the proposed changes to personal independence payments and universal credit.

Despite this, a number of MPs still aren't happy - and have said they will be voting against the bill when it returns to the Commons on Tuesday.

Use the search tool below to see if your MP is a potential rebel:

'Everybody should be worried': Labour rebel explains why she'll vote against welfare bill

Nadia Whittome, the Labour MP, is one of a group who are still unhappy with the planned reforms to welfare - even after the government's concessions.

She told Sky News: "While I understand that existing claimants will be relieved by these concessions, they still mean 拢3bn of cuts that will push people into poverty.

"They frankly do not go far enough."

The MP also points to "really dangerous, unintended consequences" of the policy.

She said a two-tier benefits system would be created, with people who have the "same level of need" given different levels of support.

"I don't think anybody thinks that is a fair system," Whittome said.

"It goes beyond people who are disabled now. Everybody should be worried about these changes, because disability can happen to anybody at any point in their life."

The MP admited that the changes do make a difference to existing claimants, "but not to the 100,000s of disabled people in the future" who won't be able to access help.

 She added that members now have even less information to vote on now the government has made "fundamental changes to the bill".

These will either be drafted over the weekend, or "we will be asked to vote on verbal promises", Whittome said.

Asked if Labour MPs can defeat the bill, she said: "I don't know, is the truthful answer."

PM accused of 'giving up' over welfare reforms

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has accused the prime minister of "giving up" on his welfare reforms after conceding to Labour rebels over their "reasoned amendment".

Asked whether she will ask her own MPs to back the policy when it faces a vote on Tuesday, Badenoch said she will support Starmer if "he can meet our three conditions".

"He has to reduce the welfare budget... he has to make sure people get into work," she said. 

"At the moment the bill doesn't do that. The U-turn makes it even worse, and they have to commit to not having more tax rises.

"None of those things are unreasonable requests."

She added that rather than make these commitments, the prime minister is "just giving up".

"That's why we're very worried about our ability to pay for defence, about our ability as a country to get anything done," Badenoch said.

"If they can't solve minor problems, how are they going to deal with the big ones?"

Full details of welfare bill will be set out on Tuesday, No 10 says

No 10 has just confirmed that the full details of the welfare changes will be set out on Tuesday - when asked about the cost.

There have been claims that the reviewed policy could cost 拢3.2bn per year by 2030, while the government had hoped it would save 拢5bn.

Asked if this 拢3.2bn figure is correct, Sir Keir Starmer's spokesman said full details will be set out in parliament on Tuesday.

He added that the policy will be "fully funded", and this will be explained at the budget "in the usual way". 

Downing Street also denied that the updates meant that the government is "ducking" reform.

They reiterated that the package is the "most radical reform to welfare in decades".

And pressed on a number of U-turns that have taken place recently, No 10 said this proves this is a government that listens.

No 10 won't say PM confident welfare bill will pass

Downing Street has refused to confirm that Sir Keir Starmer is confident his welfare bill will pass through the Commons on Tuesday.

The policy - which sets out a raft of reforms to disability benefits - is due in the House for its second reading on Tuesday.

At least 127 Labour MPs had signed a "reasoned amendment" to the policy, before the government agreed a number of major concessions late on Thursday.

Despite this, a group of MPs have still refused to back the reforms.

Asked if the prime minister is confident the vote will pass, Starmer's spokesperson didn't say.

Instead, No 10 insisted there is a broad consensus that reform is needed.

What are the concessions to the welfare bill - and will MPs back it?

By Faye Brown, political reporter

Number 10 has made concessions on its welfare bill after crisis talks with Labour rebels.

Sir Keir Starmer will be hoping the changes are enough to avoid a Commons defeat when the measures are put to a vote on Tuesday - but several MPs have said they are still not satisfied.

Sky News looks at what was in the deal and whether it will be enough to win over critics.

Starmer says he 'deeply regrets' using 'island of strangers' phrase

Sir Keir Starmer has said he "deeply regrets" claiming the UK risked becoming an "island of strangers" in an immigration speech that drew comparisons to the language of Enoch Powell.

The prime minister said he had not been in the "best state" to give the news conference, in which he insisted on the need for tighter border controls, as he reeled from an alleged arson attack on his family home.

He said he had considered pulling out of the speech after the fire at the property in Kentish Town left him "really shaken up."

Starmer ended up going through with the conference as planned just hours after the blaze.

He warned Britain risked becoming "an island of strangers" without tougher immigration controls 鈥� rhetoric that sparked an immediate backlash and was denounced by critics, including within Labour ranks, as divisive.

At the time, Downing Street doubled down on the remarks and said Starmer "completely rejects" suggestions he had echoed the infamous "rivers of blood" speech.

This was blamed for inflaming racial tensions in the 1960s.

But in an interview for the Observer, the prime minister struck a more conciliatory tone, saying the language "wasn't right".

"I wouldn't have used those words if I had known they were, or even would be interpreted as an echo of Powell," he said.

"I had no idea 鈥� and my speechwriters didn鈥檛 know either. But that particular phrase 鈥� no 鈥� it wasn't right. 

"I'll give you the honest truth: I deeply regret using it."

Four arrested after aircraft damaged at RAF base

Two men and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of a terror offence after two aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton, police have said.

A second woman has also been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

Counter Terrorism Policing South East said in a statement: "A 29-year-old woman of no fixed abode, and two men; aged 36 and 24, both from London, were arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, contrary to Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

"A 41-year-old woman, of no fixed abode, was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

"The arrests, which took place yesterday [Thursday] in Newbury, Berkshire, and in London, are in connection with an incident in the early hours of [last] Friday during which damage was caused to two aircraft at RAF Brize Norton.

"Those arrested are currently in police custody while enquiries are ongoing."

Palestine Action posted video online claiming it was behind the vandalism at the Oxfordshire airbase last Friday.

A security review was launched across the "whole defence estate" following the breach.