UK PM faces major rebellion over welfare cuts

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday doubled down on controversial plans to cut disability and sickness welfare, amid the biggest rebellion by lawmakers of his premiership.

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Labour's Starmer, who has had a bumpy first year in power since ousting the Conservatives in a landslide election victory last July, insisted that a vote on the proposed legislation would go ahead on Tuesday.

His government is under pressure to slash a spiralling benefits bill as Chancellor Rachel Reeves tries to generate much-needed growth from a sluggish UK economy.

The premier's defiant words came as at least 120 Labour MPs, nearly a third of the 403 in parliament, publicly backed a move to block the proposals.

Media reports pointed to growing alarm behind the scenes in Starmer’s Downing Street office at the scale of the mutiny.