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UK’s Starmer faces first grilling from MPs after early rebellion
By Francesca Hangeior.
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer holds a press conference at the end of his cabinet’s first meeting in Downing Street in London on July 6, 2024.
Keir Starmer faces his first House of Commons grilling as UK prime minister on Wednesday, after suspending seven of his own Labour MPs for rebelling over a controversial welfare policy.
Starmer suspended the Labour rebels late Tuesday after they backed a motion demanding the removal of the contentious two-child limit on benefits introduced by the previous Conservative government.
Their votes supporting ending the cap — introduced in 2015 and which restricts payments to the first two children born to most families — is an early test of Starmer’s authority.
The new UK leader has warned there is “no silver bullet” to ending child poverty but acknowledged the “passion” of MPs who oppose maintaining the policy.
Starmer’s decision to suspend the whip from the group of left-wingers, which included former finance spokesman John McDonnell, was seen as a show of ruthlessness from his new administration.
The Labour leader took power just weeks ago after his party, in opposition for 14 years from 2010, won a landslide in the July 4 general election.
The victory followed a four-year struggle since he became party leader to shift Labour back to the political centre ground from the hard-left regime of former leader Jeremy Corbyn.
The party in 2019 experienced its worst election result in nearly a century under Corbyn.
Starmer will be on his feet in the Commons at 1100 GMT for his first weekly Prime Minister’s Questions session, when the politically charged two-child cap could feature.
Late Tuesday, MPs voted 363 to 103 to reject a Scottish National Party (SNP) amendment to scrap the cap, giving the government a majority of 260.
However, in addition to the seven who voted with the amendment, more than 40 Labour lawmakers recorded no vote, highlighting the level of unease within the centre-left party at the measure.
Liverpool MP Kim Johnson said she had voted with the government “for unity” but warned that the strength of feeling within the party was “undeniable”.
“We moved the dial, the campaign will continue,” she said.
The SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said Labour had “failed its first major test in government” by choosing not to “deliver meaningful change from years of Tory misrule”.
“This is now the Labour government’s two-child cap — and it must take ownership of the damage it is causing, including the appalling levels of poverty in the UK,” he said.
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced a change in the orientation schedule for prospective corps members posted to Enugu and Osun states for the 2026 Batch A Stream II exercise.
In a statement issued on Monday by its Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, the scheme said the orientation course in the affected states will now commence on April 28 and end on May 18, 2026.
The NYSC attributed the adjustment to ongoing renovation works at the orientation camps by the state governments.
The scheme clarified that the change applies only to Enugu and Osun states.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the orientation exercise for all other states and the FCT will hold from Wednesday, April 22, 2026, to Tuesday, May 12, 2026,” the statement said.
The NYSC advised affected prospective corps members to take note of the revised schedule and comply accordingly.
Meanwhile, NYSC has announced the release of call-up letters for prospective corps members under the 2026 Batch ‘A’ Stream II programme.
The scheme disclosed this on Monday via its 𝕏 account, stating, “2026 Batch ‘A’ Stream II deployment has been released.”
The development follows the recent publication of the timetable for the upcoming orientation exercise.
In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Caroline Embu, the NYSC confirmed that the orientation course will commence nationwide on April 22.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the National Leader of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nyesom Wike, has assured aggrieved members of the the party that they will not lose their entitlements if they return, declaring that many who left only did so out of uncertainty and in search of political shelter.
He therefore urged the party leadership to urgently move for reconciliation.
“Chairman and your team should put in place a strong committee to reach out to those who are aggrieved.
“There is room for them to come back, and whatever is due to them will still be given,” Wike said at the 108th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party held Monday at Wadata Plaza, Abuja.
The former Rivers State governor insisted that the PDP must close ranks quickly, warning that lingering internal wrangling could weaken its chances ahead of future elections.
“In life, there must be a period of crisis. What matters is how we resolve the crisis. Now that we are together, we must not stop at reconciliation,” he said.
Wike also reaffirmed his loyalty to the party, declaring that he has no intention of leaving despite ongoing tensions.
“I have been a member of this party since 1998 and I will not leave. Whatever happens, we will continue to live as members of the PDP,” he stated.
He further called for transparency and openness in party affairs, saying this would rebuild confidence and attract back those who had drifted away.
“If you engage them, they will understand and support the party. There is need for openness so that we can achieve the unity we desire,” he added, while expressing confidence in the party’s legal team.
Earlier, PDP National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, signalled a fresh start for the opposition party, declaring that the era of uncertainty was over.
According to him, the party will strictly follow the Electoral Act and guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in conducting its congresses.
“The era of uncertainty is behind us. The era of strategy, consultation, and electoral preparation has begun,” he said, promising transparent and credible congresses across all levels.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, stressed that unity must remain the party’s top priority.
He urged members to bury their differences, warning that there was no room for exclusion if the PDP must regain its footing nationally.
Ohuabunwa also called for discipline and strict adherence to the party’s constitution, while commending reforms such as the e-registration initiative aimed at strengthening internal processes and repositioning the party for the challenges ahead.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has fixed its first National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting following the reopening of its national headquarters, Wadata Plaza, after months of closure.
The meeting is scheduled to hold at the party’s secretariat in Abuja.
This comes days after security operatives unsealed the premises, which had been under lock since late last year due to internal leadership disputes.
The development marks a fresh step in the party’s attempt to stabilise its structure after a prolonged crisis. Party officials say the meeting will focus on restoring order and addressing lingering issues affecting the PDP’s leadership.
The secretariat had been sealed in November after a violent confrontation between two rival factions. One group was loyal to the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee. The other faction was headed by Abdulrahman Mohammed, who led a caretaker committee. Both sides had laid claim to the party’s leadership, leading to chaos at the headquarters.
The crisis deepened after a court ruling earlier this year. The Appeal Court nullified the Ibadan convention that brought in the Turaki-led leadership. That judgment shifted momentum to the Mohammed-led group.
Backed by key political figures, the Mohammed faction moved quickly. They relied on the court decision to organise a fresh convention in Abuja. That exercise further strengthened their hold on the party’s structure.
Sources within the party say today’s NEC meeting will largely be attended by loyalists of the Mohammed-led leadership. Among those expected are the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. Also expected are former Senate President Bukola Saraki and former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
Party insiders say the presence of these figures signals a strong show of unity from the faction currently in control. Discussions at the meeting are expected to cover reconciliation, restructuring, and preparations for future political engagements.
There are also indications that the NEC may set up committees to address grievances within the party. Some members are pushing for a broader peace process to bring back aggrieved stakeholders.
See Black Market Dollar To Naira Exchange Rate Today 20th April 2026
NYSC Reschedules Orientation Date For Enugu, Osun Corps Members
Wike to Aggrieved PDP Members: “You’ll Get Your Due, Come Back”(Photos)
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