The Tories will vote against Sir Keir Starmer‘s welfare reforms in a fresh blow to the Prime Minister. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said her party would not back the Government’s Bill in a crunch Commons vote tomorrow.

It comes as Sir Keir is facing a major Labour rebellion despite making concessions in a bid to avoid the first defeat of his premiership. Mrs Badenoch 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.”

The Tories had pledged to back the Bill if Labour met three conditions which were ruling out tax hikes in the autumn budget, lowering the welfare budget and reducing unemployment.

Labour’s original plans restricted eligibility for the personal independence payment (Pip) and cut the health-related element of universal credit.

But Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall last week confirmed concessions after 126 Labour backbenchers signed an amendment that would have halted the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill at its first Commons hurdle.

The changes to Pip will now only apply to new claims from November 2026.

Plans to cut the health-related element of universal credit have also been rowed back, with all existing recipients to have their incomes protected in real terms.

But some Labour backbenchers have said the U-turn does not go far enough and that they will still vote down the Bill.