Kendall steps up efforts to win over Labour welfare rebels, as Burnham tells MPs to vote against ‘unfair’ bill – UK politics live | Politics

Jacqui Smith, the skills minister, was on the morning interview round this morning and she refused to rule out Labour MPs losing the whip if they vote against the government. Asked on Times Radio if this could happen, she replied:

I think what’s important and from – as you say – from my experience as a former chief whip, is to keep talking, keep explaining the moves that the government has already made to recognise some of the concerns.

And asked the same question on Sky News, she replied:

I don’t think talking about punishments, even as a former chief whip, is the constructive way forward here.

In normal…