'Starmer caves in' and 'Wintour no longer in Vogue'

Anna Wintour at the 78th Annual Tony Awards held at Radio City Music Hall on 8 June 2025 in New York, New York.Image source, Getty Images
  • Published

The government's expected changes to its welfare benefit plans make many of the newspaper front pages for the morning.

The Daily Mail describes it as a "humiliating climbdown", external for Sir Keir Starmer. The Guardian speaks of "massive concessions", external offered to placate rebel backbenchers, and brands the move a "major U-turn". "New Hope on PIPs" is the the Daily Mirror, external's headline. It describes the development as a "rebel victory".

The Daily Telegraph, external calls it a "cave in", and quotes a Labour MP as saying "we wanted to unite around something better. We are getting there". The Times, external has the headline "PM pledges protections for disabled to rescue bill". The paper says the compromise will cost one and a half billion pounds, and may require a "tax hike" to fund it.

The Financial Times, external quotes one rebel who calls the welfare row a "civil war" within government. In a column, the paper's chief political commentator says "once you are forced to bend the knee to your backbenchers, you will rarely stand tall again".

News Daily banner

Sign up for our morning newsletter and get BBC News in your inbox.

News Daily banner