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Sir Keir Starmer has suspended at least three rebellious Labour MPs over “persistent breaches of party discipline” as the Prime Minister launches a left-wing purge just hours before the summer recess.
The Prime Minister, who previously suspended a cabal of seven hard-left MPs over a two-child benefit cap rebellion last summer, is expected to complete his crackdown on dissenting MPs later this afternoon.
Starmer had suffered the biggest revolt of his premiership just over a fortnight ago, with the Prime Minister being forced to water down his welfare reforms to prevent a potential Commons defeat.
Mutinous MPs were summoned to Chief Whip Alan Campbell’s office for a dressing down earlier this afternoon.
A source told The Times that some Labour MPs would be suspended for “persistent k**bheadery” and rebelling against Downing Street.
Brian Leishman, Chris Hinchliff and Neil Duncan Jordan are understood to have been the first set of MPs purged by the Prime Minister.
The trio of fresh-faced Labour MPs played pivotal roles in the recent welfare rebellion and held firm after dozens of colleagues accepted the Prime Ministers’ 11th hour concessions.
However, another Labour veteran hinted that more suspensions could soon follow.
“The executions are continuing,” the insider warned.
A total of 47 Labour MPs rebelled against Starmer’s welfare reforms, cutting the Prime Minister’s majority to just 75.
However, one left-wing MP warned: “It doesn’t look good for [Starmer] that he’s having to do this.”
There had even been speculation that the Prime Minister is clamping down on his backbench rebels amid fears some could join Jeremy Corbyn’s rival party.
The Corbyn-supporting pressure group Momentum said: “Suspending the whip from MPs who stood against welfare cuts is a desperate act from a failing Government.
“This crack down on dissent is a pathetic response to dire poll ratings and threatens to tear apart not the Labour Left but the Labour Party itself.”
Starmer launched a separate purge just weeks after winning the 2024 General Election, with seven MPs being suspended on July 23 last year.
John McDonnell, Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Imran Hussain, Apsana Begum and Zarah Sultana were all suspended for supporting an SNP amendment to scrap the two-child benefit cap.
Burgon, Byrne, Long-Bailey and Hussain’s suspensions were ended in early 2025, with Zultana later announcing her intention to co-lead Corbyn’s hard-left rival party.