The Labour Government capitulated over its welfare reforms on Tuesday night.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer was pictured stumbling out of Number 10 on Wednesday, hours after his Government’s capitulation over welfare reforms. The PM saw dozens of his own MPs rebel against his Government, as he appeared to lose control of his party last night.

Sir Keir was forced to make last minute concessions on his planned changes to Personal Independence Payments (PIP), over concerns the number of Labour rebels ready to defy the whip could be enough to defeat his bill. This morning, off the back of a tumultuous night for the Government, Sir Keir was seen stumbling out of Number 10 as he headed for the Commons for Prime Minister’s Questions.

Starmer stumbled out of Downing Street (Image: Getty)

During PMQs, Chancellor Rachel Reeves appeared to cry, as she sat behind Sir Keir. The Chancellor will likely be forced to raise taxes in order to pay for the Governnment’s U-turn last night.

Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch accused the PM of using Ms Reeves as a “human shield” for his “incompetence”.

She went on: “[Ms Reeves] is pointing at me, she looks absolutely miserable. Labour MPs are going on the record saying that the Chancellor is toast, and the reality is that she is a human shield for his incompetence. In January, he said that she would be in post until the next election. Will she really?”

Rachel Reeves appeared to cry during PMQs (Image: BBC)

Sir Keir replied: “[Mrs Badenoch] certainly won’t. I have to say, I’m always cheered up when she asks me questions or responds to a statement because she always makes a complete mess of it and shows just how unserious and irrelevant they are.

“She talks about the black hole, they left a £22 billion black hole in our economy and we’re clearing it up, and I’m really proud that in the first year of a Labour Government, we got free school meals, breakfast clubs, childcare, got £15 billion invested in transport in the North and the Midlands. We’re cutting regulation, planning and infrastructure is pounding forward, building 1.5 million homes, the biggest investment in social and affordable housing, and of course the three trade deals.”

Mrs Badenoch replied: “How awful for the Chancellor that he couldn’t confirm that she would stay in place.”