Keir Starmer has laid down a marker by suspending seven Labour MPs from the whip. The question is: What sort of marker? Will it benefit the Prime Minister in the long run? It is not normal to suspend the whip from an MP for rebelling on a non-confidence matter. The two-child benefit cap is also being retained out of fiscal necessity rather than because it is a key part of Starmer’s vision for the country. So it is an unusual matter to take such a hard line on.
The ones who were suspended were what most people would regard as the usual suspects
It used to be the case that removing the whip from an MP was the nuclear option, but this has changed in recent years. It has become an administrative measure when a member is under investigation, which brings parties more into line with companies and other organisations that suspend staff when allegations are made against them.
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