Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner to defend welfare reforms at PMQs

Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner is set to defend the UK Labour Government’s welfare reforms amid a growing rebellion at PMQs on Wednesday.

It’s the second week in a row that Rayner is filling in for Starmer at PMQs. Last week, the Prime Minister was returning to the UK from the G7 summit in Canada.

This week, Starmer is attending a Nato summit at The Hague.

Discussions have focused on the volatile situation between Israel and Iran, with leaders, including Starmer, urging diplomacy and the maintenance of a fragile ceasefire.

Although the growing global unrest is likely to come up, opposition leaders are expected to focus on a growing Labour party rebellion over the welfare reform proposals.

Last week, the UK Government published more details about its proposals.

The Bill seeks reductions to the Universal Credit health top up for new claims from April 2026, and to scrap the Work Capability Assessment (WCA).

There are plans to review PIP assessments and “focus PIP on those with higher needs”.

The Government tried to make some small concessions to appease unhappy Labour MPs, like ensuring that 200,000 people with the most severe and permanently disabling conditions’ Universal Credit benefits would not be reassessed and promising a 13-week transition payment for people losing the daily living component of PIP.

However, these clearly did not go far enough for some.

On Tuesday, the names of more than 100 Labour MPs who signed an amendment to the welfare reform bill were revealed.

Among the rebels are nine Scottish Labour MPs.

The amendment essentially seeks to block the cuts to disability and sickness-related benefit payments.

Starmer has already doubled down and vowed to press ahead with his Government’s proposed welfare changes, despite the rebellion being large enough to wipe out Labour’s working majority in Parliament.

The Prime Minister will ultimately either be forced to concede and make changes to his welfare reform plans or rely on votes from opposition parties, like the Conservatives, to get the changes approved.

Nonetheless, Rayner is likely to be challenged over the situation while she’s filling in for Starmer on Wednesday.