Prime Minister Keir Starmer gave away the last of the savings from his signature welfare overhaul to avoid a damaging rebellion that threatened to inflict a historic defeat on his government.Social Security Minister Stephen Timms announced on Tuesday afternoon that the government wouldn’t introduce planned changes to disability assessments — which determine the level of benefit payments — until after a wider review of the system due by the fall of 2026.

Some 39 Labour MPs have signalled they will vote against Sir Keir Starmer’s welfare reforms on Tuesday evening in a tense showdown between the prime minister and his backbenchers despite a £2.5bn U-turn that watered down the package last week.