Headlines
UK's Starmer defeats wrecking amendment on welfare reform
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on July 1, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Quick Summary
Keir Starmer's welfare reform bill progresses after defeating a parliamentary amendment aimed at halting it, with a decisive 328 to 149 vote.
UK's Starmer defeats wrecking amendment on welfare reform
LONDON (Reuters) -British Prime Minister Keir Starmer cleared the first hurdle in his quest to reform the welfare system on Tuesday, when lawmakers opposed to the proposed law failed to halt its progress with a so-called "reasoned amendment".
Several lawmakers tabled a "reasoned amendment," used to express opposition to a proposed law, to the welfare reforms, which if it had passed would have halted the bill. The attempt failed with 328 to 149 lawmakers voting against the amendment.
Lawmakers will immediately hold another vote on whether or not to progress the bill to the next stages of the parliamentary process. If the government also wins that vote, those next stages are scheduled for July 9.
(Reporting by Alistair Smout, Elizabeth Piper and Andrew MacAskill, editing by Kate Holton)
Key Takeaways
- •Keir Starmer's welfare reform bill cleared its first hurdle.
- •A 'reasoned amendment' to halt the bill was defeated.
- •The vote against the amendment was 328 to 149.
- •Next parliamentary vote on the bill is scheduled for July 9.
- •The reform aims to overhaul the UK's welfare system.
Frequently Asked Questions about UK's Starmer defeats wrecking amendment on welfare reform
1What did Keir Starmer achieve regarding welfare reform?
Keir Starmer cleared the first hurdle in his quest to reform the welfare system when lawmakers opposed to the proposed law failed to halt its progress.
2What was the outcome of the reasoned amendment?
The reasoned amendment, which expressed opposition to the welfare reforms, failed with a vote count of 328 against it.
3What happens next after the amendment failed?
Lawmakers will hold another vote on whether to progress the bill to the next stages of the parliamentary process.
