SIR Keir Starmer has suspended four Labour MPs and sacked three others in a brutal attempt to stamp his authority on a restless party.
His purge of left-wingers includes prominent backbencher Rachel Maskell, who was one of this month’s benefits revolt ringleaders.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has suspended at least three Labour MPsPA
PARachel Maskell has been suspended by Labour[/caption]
She has lost the Labour whip alongside other rebels Brian Leishman, Chris Hinchliff and Neil Duncan Jordan – for what insiders described as “persistent k*obheadery”.
They will now sit as independent MPs in the Commons pending a future review.
Sir Keir also sacked Rosea Allin Khan, Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Mohammed Yasin from their government trade envoy roles, although they will remain as Labour MPs.
All seven of the MPs voted against the government’s recent botched attempt to rein in the ballooning welfare bill.
The PM swung the axe just days before MPs break for the summer, in a clear move to flex his muscles after a string of rebellious flare-ups.
Ms Maskell, the York Central MP, is the most high profile suspension weeks after masterminding the benefits revolt.
Moments after being hauled into the chief whip’s office to be suspended, she said: “The reason why I voted the way I did, it’s because I believe in fighting for people that really matter, the poorest people in our society.
“I believe that’s why the Labour Party was created and I will never, never give up that fight, because people need this place to recognise the invisible people of this world, and that’s I’m here.”
She added: “I’m not angry. I’m upset that we are in this place because I believe it is better than that as a party.”
One senior Labour figure told The Times the rogue MPs had been warned multiple times before finally being stripped of the whip.
The suspensions come weeks after Sir Keir was forced into an embarrassing U-turn on benefit reforms, after facing a mutiny from his own backbenchers.
Despite the climbdown, the PM still faced a rebellion of 49 MPs over the welfare crackdown.
Starmer stamps authority on a restless party
By MARTINA BET, Political Correspondent
SIR Keir Starmer has finally shown he is not afraid to flex his muscles – but many will be wondering what took him so long.
Four Labour MPs were kicked out of the parliamentary party after repeatedly defying his government on welfare and winter fuel support.
It is a clear sign the PM is done tolerating backbench rebels.
But this kind of discipline should have come earlier.
For months, the PM has let serial dissenters trash his agenda without consequences.
Letting them run riot only encouraged the Corbynite wing to grow bolder.
Zarah Sultana, suspended last year, has teamed up with Jeremy Corbyn to launch a rival party.
One of the rebels, Rachel Maskell, left the whips’ office in tears, later insisting she was “fighting for the poorest” – but dodged explaining why she had been punished.
The rebellion she spearheaded cost taxpayers £5billion in welfare savings – money that is vital to balance the books and fund public services.
Instead of backing tough decisions in government, these MPs chose to grandstand from the sidelines.
Two of them only just scraped into Parliament in never-before-won seats – and now risk throwing that all away for a protest vote.
The PM has spent years trying to detox Labour after the chaos of the Corbyn era.
He promised voters he would lead a serious, disciplined government.
That means acting when MPs step out of line – not weeks later, once the damage is done.
But it remains to be seen whether this show strength will tame a restless party – or backfire and stir them even further into mutiny.
FacebookNeil Duncan Jordan has been stripped of the Labour whip[/caption]
Labour MP Brian Leishman joins members of Unite union as they take part in a demonstration to protest at Petroineos plans to close Grangemouth oil refineryPA
Chris Hinchcliff has been suspendedUK Parliament Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
