Keir Starmer is bracing for a humiliating backbench rebellion in the Commons on Tuesday despite U-turning on welfare reforms to quell a revolt. Downing Street would not be drawn on whether any Labour rebels will face losing the party whip if they go against the government at a crunch Commons vote tomorrow afternoon.

Labour MP Debbie Abrahams, who negotiated the concessions alongside Dame Meg Hillier, said on Monday that ministers had rowed back on what had been agreed. Although she described the concessions as “good”, Ms Abrahams said the rebels were “not quite there yet” on a deal with the Government.

She added: “The actual offer that was put to one of the negotiating team wasn’t actually what we thought we had negotiated on Wednesday and Thursday. There are some issues around that.” The Government’s partial reversal on cuts will cost taxpayers around £2.5 billion by 2030, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall told MPs as she laid out concessions to Labour rebels.

The Tories will vote against the welfare bill, Kemi Badenoch has confirmed.

The Conservative leader said: “The welfare budget is out of control. Spending on health and disability benefits was £40 billion just before Covid and it is now projected to be £100 billion by 2030.

“What Labour is doing is not serious welfare reform. Last week we challenged them to cut the welfare budget, to bring in measures that would get people back into work, and to assure us there wouldn’t be new taxes to fill the gap.

“Keir Starmer has not met those challenges, in fact he’s watered down the small savings Labour were making. We have a government that is incapable of governing. For that reason, we will be voting against the welfare bill tomorrow.”

Around 150,000 people will be pushed into poverty by 2030 because of the Government’s welfare cuts, modelling by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) showed.

But Labour MPs voiced their fury in the Commons on Tuesday over the timing of Sir Stephen Timm’s review of the personal independence payment (Pip) scheme.

Ms Abrahams, Dame Meg and Rachel Maskell were among those who challenged Ms Kendall because her changes are set to be introduced in November 2026 for new claimants, at which time the Pip review is also due to be undertaken.

Ms Abrahams, the chairwoman of the Work and Pensions Committee, urged the Government not to “predetermine” the review of the Pip scheme.

“(Liz Kendall) said the four points won’t apply until November 2026, and that the review will report in November 2026, but surely the Pip review should determine the new process,” Ms Abrahams said.

She continued: “If this is being truly co-produced with disabled people in their organisations, the review should determine both the new process, the new points and the new descriptors, and we shouldn’t predetermine it at four points.”

Ms Kendall replied: “The review will conclude by autumn 2026 and we will then implement any changes arriving from that as quickly as possible.

“I would say that we have to get the right balance here, because we do seek to, I mean, I’ve been a longstanding champion of co-production, including when I was a shadow minister for social care, we have to do that properly. But the four point minimum will be in place for new claimants as we look to make changes for the future.”

Ms Kendall announced last week that changes to the Pip will only apply to new claimants from November 2026, and ministers also rowed back on plans to cut the health-related element of Universal Credit after 126 Labour MPs signed an amendment that would have effectively killed the Government’s Bill.

James Taylor, Director of Strategy at disability equality charity Scope, said: “Disabled people haven’t been consulted on these changes, and we have no idea of the impact these proposals will have on health and employment chances.

“Life costs more if you are disabled, whether you are in work or not. Our newest research shows that these costs add up to on average £15,000 a year for disabled households to have the same standard of living.

“The government needs to ditch this devastating bill and start again.

“We urge government to properly engage with disabled people and MPs on how best to reform welfare and create an equal future.”