A senior Labour MP who quit her role over the government’s proposed welfare cuts has urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to listen more closely to his party’s MPs. Vicky Foxcroft, who stepped down as a government whip in June, said the leadership must better engage with backbenchers to avoid further unrest within the party.
Foxcroft left her position after a major rebellion within Labour ranks forced the government to drop key parts of its planned benefit reforms. She said the suggested changes would have caused serious harm, especially to disabled people who rely on support.
Speaking in a recent interview, Foxcroft explained her decision. “There were some quite bad cuts to disabled people’s benefits suggested, especially around Personal Independence Payment (PIP),” she said. “They were planning to make people reach four points before getting help, and I was really worried about how many would be left behind.”
Foxcroft made clear that she could not support the plan, nor ask others to support it. “At that point, I didn’t feel I could go out and whip for it and get other MPs to do the same,” she said.
The MP for Lewisham North said the decision to resign did not come easy. She experienced several sleepless nights before stepping down and admitted the situation affected her deeply on both a personal and professional level. “It was really difficult and I would have rather not had to do that,” she said. “At the time, my dad had passed away quite suddenly. So I was dealing with grief while also being worried about the proposals.”
Foxcroft said she spoke to many people before making her decision, hoping for a change in the policy direction. But with no shift in approach, she chose to leave her post. “I had the stress of everything, and it played on my mind all the time,” she added.
When asked how the government could avoid similar issues in the future, Foxcroft said better communication with MPs is essential. “MPs are out in their constituencies. They hear from people daily. When they raise concerns, it comes from real experiences,” she said. “It’s really important that this engagement happens properly and not just as a formality.”
Despite the recent turmoil and a sharp drop in public approval ratings, Foxcroft still believes the government can recover its image. She highlighted several key bills currently being debated, including the Renters’ Rights Bill, the Employment Rights Bill, and the Football Governance Bill.
However, she admitted that progress on these fronts remains limited. “At the moment, some of this stuff is just bills in Parliament,” she said. “We need to make sure the public sees real changes, not just plans.”
Foxcroft’s comments come at a time when concerns about the government’s direction are rising among both left- and right-leaning voters. Starmer’s approval rating hit a record low earlier this month, following the government’s £5 billion welfare U-turn.
According to a recent poll, public confidence in the government has dropped significantly. The survey found that Starmer’s support fell to minus 43. More troubling, seven in ten voters now believe that his administration is at least as chaotic as the previous Conservative government.
The shift in public mood has given momentum to smaller parties. Reform UK, in particular, has made gains in the polls, posing a challenge to Labour’s long-term strategy. With several years still to go before the next general election, party leaders are under pressure to reconnect with both MPs and voters.
Foxcroft’s resignation and her call for greater engagement may mark a turning point. As public trust weakens, her message to the Prime Minister is simple: listen to the people who represent the public every day.
