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Rebellious backbenchers are reportedly plotting a coup (Picture: Carl Court/Getty Images) Labour MPs are plotting to oust Sir Keir Starmer even after he welcomed rebellious backbenchers back into the fold, it has been reported. This is the latest challenge the prime minister is facing as, according to the i Paper, the new intake of Labour parliamentarians are among those said to be discussing a future coup. It comes amid despair over the party’s poll ratings and discontent that the government may break Labour’s manifesto promise not to raise income tax in the Budget later this month. This week, four Labour MPs – Neil Duncan-Jordan, Chris Hinchliff, Brian Leishman and Rachael Maskell – who were suspended for repeatedly rebelling against the government had the whip restored. They are all understood to have returned to the Parliamentary Labour Party after discussions with chief whip Jonathan Reynolds on Friday. Left to right: Brian Leishman, Chris Hinchliff, Neil Duncan-Jordan and Rachael Maskell had the whip restored on Friday (Picture: UK Parliament/PA Wire) More than 100 Labour MPs joined the rebels in threatening to block welfare reforms being spearheaded by ministers earlier this year, over fears they would harm people claiming disability benefits. The three MPs, aside from Maskell, were first elected at last year’s election. She said she was ‘Labour to the core and will always stand up for Labour values’, after having the whip restored. What do voters say? The latest poll has found that if a General Election was held tomorrow, only 15% of voters would vote for Labour. Find Out Now polled 2,717 adults between November 5-6. The survey puts Nigel Farage’s Reform UK on track to win the next election with 33% while 18% would vote for the Green Party. The Tories are only narrowly more popular than Labour with 16%. Meanwhile 11% said they would vote for the Liberal Democrats. ‘I am grateful that the whip has rightfully been restored and want to especially thank all those who have been so kind to me over the last few months,’ she added. The prime minister, who has been at the COP30 climate summit in Brazil this week, has found himself beset with a series of challenges on his return. The plot comes amid dire poll ratings for Labour (Picture: Victoria Jones/Shutterstock) Culture secretary Lisa Nandy has apologised after being found by a probe to have ‘unknowingly’ breached the governance code on public appointments. She had failed to declare that she received £2,900 in donations from her pick to chair the new football watchdog. The Tories are also calling for Sir Keir to face further scrutiny from the Government’s ethics adviser, as he has also received donations from David Kogan. Deputy prime minister and justice secretary David Lammy has meanwhile come under fire for how he dealt with the mistaken release of a prisoner from HMP Wandsworth in south west London. The prisoner, 24-year-old Algerian sex offender Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, was returned to the prison on Friday. But Lammy has been criticised for his decision not to address the blunder when pushed by the Tories at Prime Minister’s Questions, despite having been briefed about it earlier. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is facing pressure over rumours she will hike income tax in the next Budget (Picture: via REUTERS) Lucy Powell, the newly elected Labour deputy leader, has meanwhile urged the government not to raise taxes in the coming Budget, amid speculation that chancellor Rachel Reeves is plotting to hike income tax. Breaking Labour’s manifesto pledge not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT could damage ‘trust in politics’, she warned. Ahead of the November 26 Budget, Reeves is reportedly planning to limit the amount of tax-free pension contributions earners can make. The Times reported that the chancellor plans to cap the amount of someone’s salary that can be sacrificed for extra pension contributions before national insurance contributions are incurred to £2,000 a year. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page.
