Government makes big concessions to avoid welfare bill defeat

The government has won a vote on its benefits bill by 75 votes, but only after offering huge last-minute concessions to Labour rebels.

The government had already watered down its plans once by reversing cuts to universal credit and protecting current claimants of personal independence payment (Pip) from stricter eligibility rules.

However, some Labour MPs were still concerned the new criteria for claiming Pip would come into force before the recommendations of a review could be implemented.

Fearing a humiliating defeat in Parliament, the government announced another U-turn, telling MPs it would not change Pip rules until it had time to consider the review’s conclusions.

The eleventh-hour changes leave the government’s Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill gutted of its…