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Keir Starmer Facing Major Labour Rebellion Over ‘Cruel’ Welfare Cuts

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Keir Starmer is battling to avoid the biggest Labour rebellion since he became prime minister after the government published details of its plan to slash £5 billion from the benefit bill.

Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall insisted the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill “marks the moment we take the road of compassion, opportunity and dignity”.

But campaigners said the legislation would be “a disaster for disabled people”, while rebel Labour MPs said attempts by the government to soften its impact on benefit claimants did not go far enough.

The government says its aim is to get more people off sickness benefits and into work by making it harder for people to claim personal independence payments (PIP) and cutting the sickness-related element of universal credit (UC).

But the government’s own assessment found that the changes will push 250,000 people – including 50,000 children – into poverty.

More than 100 Labour MPs have signed letters to the government’s chief whip making clear their opposition to the plans.

A Commons vote on the plans will take place within weeks.

In a bid to address the rebels’ concerns, the government has announced that those claimants who are set to lose out will continue to receive their money for 13 weeks.

Kendall said: “Our social security system is at a crossroads. Unless we reform it, more people will be denied opportunities, and it may not be there for those who need it.

“This legislation represents a new social contract and marks the moment we take the road of compassion, opportunity and dignity.

“This will give people peace of mind, while also fixing our broken social security system so it supports those who can work to do so while protecting those who cannot – putting welfare spending on a more sustainable path to unlock growth.”

But one Labour rebel told HuffPost UK the government’s attempts to make the bill more palatable to its opponents were insufficient.

He said: “Saying benefit claimants can keep getting their money for 13 weeks before having it taken away is like giving someone a redundancy payment – it doesn’t change the fact that you’re still losing your job.

“At the very least there are 100 Labour MPs who are opposed to the bill, and I’ve seen nothing from the government that is likely to reduce that number.

“The whips and ministers will now start reaching out and trying to persuade people to at the very least not vote against the bill, but I think we’re still looking at a sizeable rebellion.”

Another rebel MP said opposition to the bill is “hardening”.

“Lots of new MPs are gearing up to actually oppose the bill rather than just abstain, which is very interesting,” the MP said. “The chief whip has now decided that threatening people is unhelpful – horse and bolted spring to mind.”

Siân Berry, the Green MP for Brighton Pavillion, said: “With this bill the government is making a cruel, unnecessary and callous political choice.

“Recklessly pushing this bill through parliament shows that ministers are still not listening to the millions of disabled people who will be catastrophically affected by these reforms about how their daily lives really work.”

Charities representing those affected by the bill have also condemned the government.

Mark Rowland, chief executive at the Mental Health Foundation, said: “This bill is a disaster for disabled people, and we urge MPs to reject this legislation in its current form.

“It will take vital financial support away from hundreds of thousands of disabled people, many of whom have mental health problems. Previous austerity measures worsened people’s living conditions, undermined their mental health and increased the risk of suicide and premature deaths – and that’s likely to be the case here too.

“These plans will not help the UK government reduce the number of disabled people out of work. PIP is also granted to disabled people who are in work to help them meet the cost of their disability, and removing this support will make it harder for them to remain in the workforce.

“The Office for Budget Responsibility has also said there is no robust analysis showing this will encourage anyone to return to the workforce. Given that, our view is that these cuts are counterproductive and cruel.”

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Abortion Decriminalised In England And Wales Following Historic Commons Vote

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Abortion has been decriminalised in England and Wales following a historic Commons vote.

MPs voted by 379 to 137 to amend the government’s Crime and Policing Bill so that it will no longer be a criminal offence for a woman to end her pregnancy at any time.

The amendment was tabled by Tonia Antoniazzi, the Labour MP for Gower and passed following a free vote, meaning MPs did not vote along party lines.

What is the current legislation around abortion?

Abortions are currently legal in England and Wales as long as they are carried out within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy.

That’s different to the legislation already in place in Northern Ireland, where abortion has been enshrined as a human right since October 2019.

For the rest of the UK, a foetus is considered “viable” once it reaches 24 weeks – meaning it could survive outside of the womb if it had enough support.

That means an individual is only allowed an abortion after that point if their own life is in danger or the foetus is showing signs of abnormalities.

Two doctors must give their approval for the abortion to go ahead, agreeing it would be riskier for the physical or mental health of the individual in question rather than having an abortion.

Doctors may allow an abortion if birth would create a substantial risk to the child.

The Covid pandemic also meant the government allowed women to access pills in the post if they want to terminate a pregnancy up to 10 weeks.

What did MPs just vote on?

MPs just voted in support of Antoniazzi’s amendment to remove women from the 1861 criminal law linked to abortion.

It means they would not be prosecuted under the act when it relates to their own pregnancy – even if they abort without medical approval after 24 weeks.

However, medical staff who assist would not be protected – although it is assumed the old law will fall out of use.

That means a rival amendment from fellow Labour backbencher Stella Creasy, who wanted to enshrine abortion as a human right, failed.

She wanted to change the law so neither pregnant people nor medical professionals would be able to be prosecuted for their involvement in abortions.

Her amendment aimed to create a new framework and introduce extra provisions to protect abortion laws in the future, but it did not have the backing of many major pro-abortion campaign organisations.

Why is abortion a particularly controversial topic right now?

Six women have appeared in court in England over the last three years and been charged with ending – or attempting to end – their pregnancy in breach of the 1967 Abortion Act.

This sparked outrage from protesters, who said the women had a right to act in relation to their own bodies.

It comes after a shocking poll from Ipsos this week found just 46% of 16 to 34-year-old men support abortion for people under-35.

There is also international pressure adding heat to the debate after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe vs Wade, a landmark ruling which protected abortion rights, in 2022.

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Keep Waking Up At 3AM? This Diet Change May Help Within 24 Hours

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I’ve had insomnia for years, a condition which I know is bad for my brain and physical health.

But for some reason, very little sticks. I have tried getting out of bed if I can’t get back to sleep, “clock blocking,” getting some morning sunlight, and even “paradoxical intention” – some of those have been more successful than others. t

Still, a new paper published in Sleep Health has linked a better diet to improved sleep in just 24 hours.

It promises to decrease the likelihood of “fragmented sleep,” or shifting from heavy to lighter sleep. This is linked to waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to return to your slumber.

“Dietary modifications could be a new, natural and cost-effective approach to achieve better sleep,” one of the study’s senior authors, Dr Esra Tasali, director of the UChicago Sleep Centre, told the university.

Eating enough fruit and vegetables might prevent middle-of-the-night wake-ups

The researchers asked participants to wear wrist monitors which tracked their sleep patterns while also tracking and reporting their food intake.

After comparing the diets of participants to their sleep patterns, the scientists found that those who ate less sugar, stuck to the CDC-recommended consumption of five cups of fruits and veggies a day, and consumed more whole grains had less sleep fragmentation.

Those who reach the fruit and veg consumption may be as much as 16% more likely to enjoy continuous sleep, the scientists found. Improvements were seen among non-fruit and veg eaters who went on to consume enough of both in as little as a day.

“16% is a highly significant difference,” Dr Tasali shared.

“It’s remarkable that such a meaningful change could be observed within less than 24 hours.”

More research is needed to find the exact relationship between diet and sleep

Though this study is promising, more research is needed to find out why and how food appears to be linked to our sleep.

Still, Dr Marie-Pierre St-Onge, director of the Centre Of Excellence For Sleep And Circadian Research at Columbia, said it’s an encouraging reminder that “Small changes can impact sleep.

“That is empowering – better rest is within your control,” she added.

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Kemi Badenoch Slammed For ‘Politicising’ Grooming Gangs With Press Conference

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Kemi Badenoch has been called out for “politicising” the grooming gangs after holding a new press conference on the scandal.

The Conservative leader and the shadow home secretary Chris Philp sat on a panel with some of the victims’ family members on Tuesday.

The meeting was a response to Labour’s sudden decision to call a national inquiry on grooming gangs.

The move stunned Westminster as the government previously accused any politicians who called for another probe of “jumping on the far-right bandwagon”.

But Keir Starmer claimed to have changed his mind over the weekend after an independent report from Baroness Louise Casey on child sexual exploitation recommended another inquiry.

The Conservatives have subsequently seen this as a victory on their campaigning, and called on Starmer to apologise for his past remarks – while somehow still promising to support the government with the new probe.

Then today, Badenoch suggested grooming gangs should not be a politicised issue at her press conference.

“I do think we should take the politics out of it,” she said to reporters.

Moments later, she attacked Labour again, saying: “Who was it that said when we raised this issue that we were pandering to the far right?

“That’s what brought the politics into it. Who was it that said that this was dog whistle politics? It was Keir Starmer and his ministers.”

Badenoch then claimed she had separated herself from the political issues, reminding those present that she was at a press conference with survivors of the scandal – and claimed she would only do politics in the Commons.

She said: “When I’m in the Houses of Parliament, when I’m in the Commons, I will do politics. And I think that it is wrong for people to tone police those who are pointing out when something has gone wrong.”

Badenoch’s press conference was also arranged at the same time as Casey herself was giving evidence to the Commons home affairs committee about the report.

Casey said on Monday that she was “disappointed” by the Tory leader’s reaction in the Commons to the grooming gangs report.

“I just felt, dare I say it, the opposition could have just been a bit, “yes, we will all come together behind you”. Maybe there is still time for that,” Casey told BBC Newsnight.

So when Badenoch used her press conference on Tuesday to lash out again at the government, she quickly attracted criticism on social media, with many users describing her conference as “disingenuous” and “deeply uncomfortable”.

Kemi Badenoch having a press conference on grooming gangs, and declaring this to be not political, would be a lot more convincing if this were a /cross-party/ press conference.As it is this performative ‘we’re on your side’ exercise is coming across as disingenuous.

— Rallicat (@rallicat.fun) 2025-06-17T11:07:23.398818Z

The absolute chutzpah of Kemi Badenoch holding a press conference with victims of sex trafficking and bemoaning lack of progress at the VERY SAME TIME that Baroness Casey is presenting her findings and, notably, actions/next steps following her rapid 3 month report. Wind your neck back in, Kemi luv.

— Stephsimone (@stephsimone.bsky.social) 2025-06-17T11:02:06.303Z

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Exclusive: Pro-Abortion Campaigners Fear Medical Staff Could Be Prosecuted Under Law Changes

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MPs are set to vote on changing the country’s abortion law on Tuesday but campaigners are split over just what alterations are needed.

Two Labour backbenchers have proposed altering the government’s Crime and Policing Bill with rival amendments to the draft legislation.

Both aim to decriminalise abortion, but the differences between their two policies have caused a major divide.

What is the difference between the two amendments?

1. Tonia Antoniazzi’s amendment

This amendment put forward by the Labour MP for Gower would stop it being a criminal offence for a woman to end their own pregnancy.

They would not be prosecuted for procuring or administering drugs, or using instruments, to cause an abortion.

This amendment would not include protections for medical staff or activists who aid the abortion.

2. Stella Creasy’s amendment

The Labour MP for Walthamstow’s amendment would decriminalise abortion up to 24 weeks.

Late-term abortions outside of the Abortion Act would also not result in custodial sentences.

She wants to decriminalise abortion for any medical professionals who carry out the abortion with the explicit consent of the pregnant person too, as long as the pregnancy has not exceeded 24 weeks.

Fears for medical staff and activists

The charities BPAS (British Pregnancy Advisory Service) and MSI Reproductive Choices have publicly supported Antoniazzi’s amendment – and written to MPs calling on them to do the same.

But activists fear that amendment will only lead to the prosecution of anyone who helps someone get an abortion, such as activists and medical staff.

HuffPost UK understands that MSI have claimed it is “possible” medical staff or activists could be investigated under Antoniazzi’s amendment.

However, Emma Campbell, co-convenor for Alliance 4 Choice, told HuffPost UK that Britain should be wary of what happened when a similar law was unveiled in Poland.

“Once it was no longer legal to arrest the people [who were pregnant], they arrested the activists,” she warned.

She said she was “mystified” by the fact that BPAS and MSI were not supporting Creasy’s amendment, calling Antoniazzi’s amendment “dangerous”.

“It seems bizarre – they’re willing to play politics on abortion-seekers and their close ones’ lives,” she said.

BPAS told HuffPost UK that Antoniazzi’s amendment “would change nothing about abortion provision or the laws around medical professionals and activists.”

BPAS’ head of advocacy Rachael Clarke said: “All it would do is stop the prosecution of vulnerable women who end their own pregnancies outside the current law.

“Every organisation that represents medical professionals working in abortion care support this amendment, including all abortion providers in England and Wales, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Royal College of Nursing, the Royal College of Midwives, the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, and the British Society of Abortion Care Providers.

“The uniting issue for all these groups is that women must urgently be removed from the criminal law on abortion – and that wider reform including that around the law related to medical professionals needs proper consideration and input from medical bodies and abortion care providers.”

MSI told HuffPost UK that Antoniazzi’s amendment “protects the person ending their own pregnancy from prosecution. It does not change the law in relation to medics or activists, and nor do we have reason to believe it would make prosecutions of medics or activists more likely.”

Louise McCudden, MSI Reproductive Choices’ UK head of external affairs. added: “We would never support an amendment that criminalised medics or activists, or that made their prosecution more likely.”

Confusion around campaigners

There’s also a clash between activists over Creasy’s amendment.

MSI told MPs it was written without abortion providers’ input, and suggested it did not have enough support to pass.

MSI has also warned campaigners it could set back the fight for full decriminalisation of abortion for a generation.

The same organisation wrote to MPs last week calling for them to withdraw their support for Creasy’s decriminalisation bill.

MSI’s Louise McCudden told HuffPost UK: “We strongly support full decriminalisation of abortion and we have long advocated for it with our partners, including the many pro-choice activists who have signed up to back NC1 as an important milestone. Abortion providers, pro-choice activists, and medics have already begun to reimagine abortion care for the 21st century.

“This is a complex area and it’s important we get it right. In the meantime, we advocate for a simple reform to the law which will end the prosecution of women who have been investigated under our Victorian abortion laws. The women have who have been investigated so far include domestic abuse survivors, potential trafficking survivors, and women who have had stillbirths – this is a fundamental injustice and addressing it cannot wait.”

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Jason Isaacs Gets Honest About Working With Parker Posey After Latest White Lotus ‘Feud’ Claims

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Jason Isaacs has opened up about his relationship with his former White Lotus co-star Parker Posey.

The pair played married couple Tim and Victoria Ratliff in the most recent season of the satirical US drama, for which most of the cast spent around seven months shooting in Thailand.

While promoting The White Lotus, the former Harry Potter star has repeatedly spoken highly of his on-screen children, played by Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sarah Catherine Hook and Sam Nivola, but during a new interview with Vulture, it was pointed out that he’s been less forthcoming about Parker.

Asked what she was like to work with, he said simply: “She’s Parker Posey. She’s everything you think she would be.”

Pressed further, he explained: “She was playing someone out of her head, so she was given licence to be bonkers. And then I’m playing someone out of my head. So I didn’t really look at her or talk to her or listen to her because I’m so much in my own tunnel.”

“So I can’t really tell you what it’s like to interact with her too much,” he admitted.

Jason Isaacs and Parker Posey on the set of The White Lotus season three
Jason Isaacs and Parker Posey on the set of The White Lotus season three

Stefano Delia/HBO

Last month, The Sun published a piece – following claims apparently first made in the Daily Mail – alleging that Jason and Parker were embroiled in an on-set feud while they made the show.

HuffPost UK contacted both actors’ representatives for comment at the time, but did not receive a response.

During a wide-ranging piece in The Guardian published before the latest season began airing, Jason said of the filming process: “There’s no question that sometimes it is absolutely fabulous, and sometimes it’s Lord of the Flies.”

He continued: “There are tensions and difficulties, I don’t know if they spilled from on screen to off-screen, or if it would have happened anyway.

“There were alliances that formed and broke, romances that formed and broke, friendships that formed and broke. It’s a long period of time for people to be away from their family with an open bar and all the wildness being in Thailand allows.”

“I can’t pretend I wasn’t involved in some off-screen drama,” he claimed, later adding: “We’ll all see one other again [for the premiere] and I’m sure we’ll be hugging and kissing and remembering it fondly. But there were times when things were not quite so fond.”

All three seasons of The White Lotus are streaming on Now and Sky in the UK.

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So THAT’s How Restaurants Get Salmon Skin So Crispy

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Though I listen to Mary Berry’s advice when it comes to keeping salmon moist (the former Great British Bake-Off host crowds the fish in a pan to trap moisture), I have to admit, it leaves me wanting more.

I crave a crispy, crunchy, seared salmon skin, too. And if a peek at Reddit’s r/AskCulinary forum, where we mere plebs can ask chefs how they cook their perfect meals, is anything to go by, I’m not alone.

Writing to the group, site user u/kellyinacherrytree wrote: “Every time I try to pan-sear salmon at home, the skin either sticks to the pan or comes out soggy.

“I’ve tried using nonstick and stainless pans, patting the fish dry, and getting the pan hot, but I just can’t seem to get that golden, super crispy skin like they do at restaurants,” they continued.

So, how do the experts do it?

The technique starts before you begin cooking

The most-upvoted response to the user’s question was culinary consultant J. Kenji López-Alt’s advice to Serious Eats.

Writing for the publication, he said that heating the pan, using a thin layer of oil and waiting until it shimmers can help.

So, too, can patting the salmon skin dry and seasoning it before frying (user stringy-cheese42 advised “dry brining” your fish before cooking if possible by salting it and letting it rest overnight).

“Dry bringing” dries out the skin and gets rid of albumin, the slimy white substance that gathers on cooked salmon, The New York Times writes.

Wait patiently for the salmon to properly sear on its skin side, which you should press into the base of the hot pan as you cook; a quick kiss of heat on the non-skin side should be enough to finish off your fish.

Some chefs, like u/toucandork, recommend cooking your salmon fillet entirely skin-side down.

If all else fails, cheat

Redditor u/fckedup said that “you can semi-cheat by coating the skin with a thin layer of cornstarch. You’ll get a slightly different type of crispy skin, but it’s delicious and retains sauces better.”

Gordon Ramsay also scores his salmon, which allows it to cook “quicker, but more importantly, helps get that skin nice and crispy” ― a delicious shortcut.

Still, he warns that slicing too deep risks overcooking the salmon.

The more you know…

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Labour Minister Refuses To Say That Israel Is An Ally Of The UK

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A government minister has refuses to describe Israel as an “ally” of the UK.

Darren Jones said “these things are never clear cut one way or the other”.

The chief secretary to the Treasury’s comments came as the Foreign Office warned Britons not to travel to Israel because of its war with Iran.

RAF jets have also been sent to the region as the conflict continues to escalate.

On LBC on Sunday, presenter Lewis Goodall asked Jones: “Do we agree with Israel that Iran is a menace to world peace and a threat to Israeli security?”

Jones said: “The UK has been part of international efforts in the past in respect of Iran, the third party groups that it funds, concerns in the past about enrichment capability.

“So of course, there are diplomatic challenges there that we have always played a role in with allies in the West.”

Goodall then asked him: “But Iran is our enemy, isn’t it?”

Jones replied: “Well look, we have these diplomatic conversations with Iran where we would like them to do different things, that’s for sure.”

Goodall then asked: “It’s fair to say Israel is our ally. Israel is clearly, in this situation, we are an ally of Israel. That’s right, isn’t it?”

Jones said: “We’ve always supported Israel’s right to defend itself. But as you’ll also know from other actions happening in the region in respect of Gaza and the West Bank, we have differences of opinions with Israel as well. So these things are never clear cut one way or the other.”

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‘We are an ally of Israel. That’s right, isn’t it?’
‘These things are never clear cut.’ @lewis_goodall grills Labour’s Darren Jones to find out whether the UK stands with Israel in its escalating conflict with Iran. pic.twitter.com/EAKswp4uOY

— LBC (@LBC) June 15, 2025

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‘We are an ally of Israel. That’s right, isn’t it?’
‘These things are never clear cut.’ @lewis_goodall grills Labour’s Darren Jones to find out whether the UK stands with Israel in its escalating conflict with Iran. pic.twitter.com/EAKswp4uOY

— LBC (@LBC) June 15, 2025

Tensions between Israel and the UK have been building in recent weeks over the ongoing crisis in Gaza.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a scathing attack on the UK, France and Canada after they called on Israel to “cease the renewed military offensive” in Gaza and lift its blockade on humanitarian aid.

The government has also sanctioned two Israeli ministers for inciting “extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights”.

Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich will be subject to a travel ban and asset freeze under the measures announced by Britain alongside Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway.

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