Welfare bill passes final reading as 47 Labour MPs rebel despite further concessions
The government’s welfare bill will become law after passing its third reading, but 47 Labour MPs still rebelled despite a series of concessions.After a succession of votes on amendments, all of which were defeated, the bill passed its final Commons stage by 336 votes to 242.The rebellion by Labour MPs was only slightly below the 49 who opposed it at second reading last week, when Keir Starmer had been forced to dramatically abandoned the bill’s central plank of deep cuts to personal independence payments (Pip) to get it through.The bulk of the rebels on Wednesday were from the broad left of the party or were MPs who had submitted or signed amendments.Earlier, ministers made another concession to the bill over an amendment tabled by the Labour MP Marie Tidball in an attempt to enshrine safeguards for disabled people.
Tidball’s amendment called for a series of protections, including that future changes to the personal independence payment (Pip) be co-produced with disabled people and experts; that the government commit to a clear summer consultation before new eligibility rules for Pip are applied to new claimants; and that measurable targets be set to close the disability employment gap,Ministers had already scrapped a proposal to tighten Pip rules for existing claimants, removing the clause entirely from the bill last week to avoid a big rebellion,It also delayed changes for new claimants until after a review led by Stephen Timms, the minister for social security and disability, concludes later this year,Speaking at the end of a debate on the report stage of the bill, which was called the universal credit and personal independence payment bill, but has now been renamed the universal credit bill, Timms said the government would accept much of Tidball’s amendment, calling it a “helpful checklist” for changes,This included, he said, Tidball’s suggestion in her amendment that his review work with a “disability co-production taskforce”, which would have a majority of representatives who either had a disability or were representatives from disabled people’s groups.
Any conclusions on the review would be based on “consensus”, he said, adding: “The outcome of the review will be central to the legislation that follows.”However, Timms said he would not accept Tidball’s proposal for a 12-month timetable for the review, saying he did not want to “rush” a process scheduled to end in autumn 2026.It marks the second time in just over a week that the government has been forced to make big revisions to its controversial legislation, after a week of chaos in the Commons that left Starmer’s authority bruised.Alongside Tidball’s proposals, several backbench Labour MPs, including Rachael Maskell, tabled their own amendments, with Maskell’s arguing that someone who has slipped out of and then back into the limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA) eligibility criteria either side of April 2026 should still be able to claim the higher rate.The UN organisation for disabled people’s rights on Tuesday asked the UK government for details about the impact of its welfare bill, expressing its concerns about potential adverse effects, in a rare intervention.
The UN committee said it had received “credible information” that the welfare changes would “deepen the signs of regression”, and sought information on “any measures to address the foreseeable risk of increasing poverty rates amongst persons with disabilities if cuts are approved”.
My age makes it very difficult to win grand slams, admits beaten Djokovic
Novak Djokovic said he must accept the reality that his ageing body continues to make it extremely difficult for him to win another grand slam title after struggling physically in his emphatic defeat by the world No 1, Jannik Sinner, in the semi-finals of Wimbledon on Friday.A month after suffering a straight sets defeat by Sinner in the semi-finals of the French Open, Djokovic was subjected to an even more one-sided 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 defeat by an imperious Sinner. The 38-year-old moved sluggishly throughout and he took a medical timeout after losing the second set.“I don’t think it’s bad fortune,” said Djokovic. “It’s just age, the wear and tear of the body
Wimbledon 2025 semi-finals: Sinner destroys Djokovic, Alcaraz beats Fritz – as it happened
Right, that’s it from us for today. Many thanks for your company. I’ll be back tomorrow for the women’s final between Iga Swiatek and Amanda Anisimova, while Daniel will return on Sunday for Jannik Sinner v Carlos Alcaraz part XIII. Make sure you join us then. Bye!Here’s Tumaini’s match report:When Novak Djokovic strode on to Centre Court for a second contest with Jannik Sinner in barely over a month, the narrative had long been set
Second act of English cricket’s great hope Jofra Archer starts with a bang | Andy Bull
Fast bower must have wondered if this moment would ever come but he is back and taking Test wickets againHalf-two in the afternoon and it’s slow going at the bars, stalls and stands around the Nursery Ground. The waitresses are chopping lemons and wiping down the counters, one of the two men in the ice-cream truck is having a breather in the front seat and the other is staring out his window into the middle distance.The next drink can wait, so can that trip to the toilets brought on by the last one. Everyone’s attention is fixed on one thing. It has been four years, four months and 17 days, since anyone has seen Jofra Archer bowl in a Test match
England v India: third men’s cricket Test, day two – as it happened
Ali’s report is in so it’s time to say goodbye. Rob Smyth and Jim Wallace will call the shots tomorrow.Get Sky back on: Jimmy Anderson is bowling to Jonny Bairstow in the Roses T20.Here are some pretty mad numbers on Joe Root. Since the start of 2021, he has 5,396 Test runs at an average of 55
Jasprit Bumrah marvels for India with next level showing to dismantle top order | Barney Ronay
Jasprit times call for Jasprit measures. Lord’s on a brutally hot July morning can feel like an assault on the senses, with its crush of pastel-shirted flesh, the walkways seething with food wafts, hamper-flash, ice-bucket envy.The home of cricket had at least immersed itself fully in the Red for Ruth charity on day two of this third Test, laying on an endless rolling field of red trouser cloth, every shade from faded salmon to screw-you scarlet on show. Admittedly it was like this on day one too. But you can never have enough charity
Archer and Bumrah make batters sweat as England and India toil on day two at Lord’s
The over rate was pathetic and the heat oppressive yet every spectator in Lord’s was transfixed. Nothing stirs the senses quite like high-quality pace bowling and so it proved here, be it the latest five-wicket display of Jasprit Bumrah’s mastery in the morning or Jofra Archer striking third ball on his comeback.Archer first, and a moment that will live long in the memory for both the player and his supporters in the stands. As India closed on 145 for three in reply to 387 all out, his figures read a tidy one for 22 from 10 overs. And yet the numbers told only part of the story, with that solitary wicket, one that stopped everyone in their tracks and triggered an eruption of noise around NW8, unquestionably the moment of the day
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