Sir Keir Starmer doles out U-turn olive department to suspended Labour MPs – restoring the whip to 4 welfare reform rebels

Four MPs suspended for repeatedly rebelling against the Government have had their whip restored.

Neil Duncan-Jordan, Chris Hinchliff, Brian Leishman and Rachael Maskell will return to the Labour benches after a review of their conduct, party sources confirmed. 

The group had repeatedly voted against the Government in the weeks leading up to their suspension, most notably over welfare reforms that they argued would harm disabled people. 

They were stripped of the whip in July for what was described as ‘persistent breaches of party discipline’. 

Ms Maskell, the MP for York Central, played a prominent role in the revolt which pushed the Prime Minister and Chancellor Rachel Reeves to scale back plans to reduce disability benefits spending. 

And the others all clashed with the government over welfare and other issues, including Net Zero and relaxing planning rules.

They had voted against the Universal Credit Bill, even after ministers removed every contentious change to personal injury payments (PIP) that it contained.

Rachel Maskell, the York MP, was a leading figure in the rebellion, and has now had the whip restored

Brian Leishman, Chris Hinchliff and Neil Duncan-Jordan lost the whip for what was described as ‘persistent breaches of party discipline’ but have had it restored

They were all involved in a major welfare rebellion that forced Keir Starmer to scrap major cuts to the huge disability benefits bill.

The action came after relentless backbenchers pressured the government into watering down the cuts to Britain’s ballooning benefit bill.

Ms Maskell said she had been suspended for ‘standing up for my constituents’ over welfare reform.

She said she was ‘not angry’ but ‘upset that we are in this place because I believe we are better than that as a party. I believe that strength comes from the backbenches.’

Ms Maskell urged the Prime Minister to engage with his backbenchers, saying she wanted to see ‘bridges built’ and this would ‘make him a better Prime Minister.’

Mr Duncan-Jordan, the MP for Poole in Dorset, had consistently refused to toe the line on a range of issues, while Alloa and Grangemouth’s Mr Leishman had also criticised plans to close a local oil refinery.

Mr Hinchliff, the North East Hertfordshire MP, attacked Angela Rayner‘s planning reform that would make it easier to build on the green belt, and rebelled over welfare cuts.

This is a breaking news story. It will be updated soon.