Labour will not be able to govern if the revolts against Sir Keir Starmer continue, a minister warned after he suspended four MPs over “persistent breaches of party discipline”.
Alloa and Grangemouth MP Brian Leishman, North East Hertfordshire MP Chris Hinchliff, York MP Rachael Maskell and Poole MP Neil Duncan-Jordan have been stripped of the Labour party whip after helping to organise the welfare reforms rebellion.
Three more MPs, Tooting MP Rosena Allin Khan, Clapham and Brixton Hill MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Mohammed Yasin who represents Bedford, were stripped of their trade envoy roles for the same reason.
Others are understood to have received warnings.
The disciplinary action comes ahead of looming crunch votes in the autumn as Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces having to make news cuts or raise taxes further in the Budget.
The moves, which are said to have left some backbenchers in “shock”, are thought to be an attempt to restore discipline in Labour ranks after the Prime Minister was forced to U-turn on controversial benefits cuts following a rebellion by his own backbenchers.
Government minister Jess Phillips said the persistent rebels suspended from the parliamentary Labour Party should not be surprised by the action against them.
"There has to be an element of discipline otherwise you end up not being able to govern.,” she told BBC radio.
"I think that constantly taking to the airwaves and slagging off your own Government, I have to say, what did you think was going to happen?"
Referring to a description of the rebels by an unnamed source in The Times, the Home Office minister stressed earlier: "I didn't call it persistent knob-headery, but that's the way that it's been termed by some."
She said she would have described it as "something much more sweary" because "we are a team, and we have to act as a team in order to achieve something".
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All of the suspended MPs have repeatedly spoken out against Sir Keir and voted against the government’s benefits cuts.
Labour MP Toby Perkins said the suspensions had left some of the party’s backbenchers stunned.
The chair of the environmental audit committee told BBC Radio 4 the move would leave Labour MPs loathed to vote against the government.
“I think people will be in a bi of a state of shock,” he told The World Tonight.
“I think there’s a number of colleagues who voted against ... (the welfare reform) legislation who are wondering if their phone’s going to ring. I think it will mean that colleagues think very carefully...before they vote against the government.
“But I think there will also be colleagues who feel that this is an overreaction”.
A Labour backbencher described the suspensions as “devastating” and said they did not signal a willingness from the Government to reset relations with the parliamentary party.
All the MPs aside from Ms Maskell were first elected at last year's election.
The York Central MP said she had been suspended for "standing up for my constituents" over the benefits plans.
Ms Maskell said she had a "positive conversation" with the chief whip, adding: "He knows my heart and why I did what I did.
"I explained there are lines I can't cross because of where I come from in politics with my faith."
She said she was "not angry" but "upset that we are in this place because I believe we are better than that as a party. I believe that strength comes from the backbenches."
In a later statement, Ms Maskell said she was "heartened that Labour is now committed to ensure that disabled people are included", adding: "I seek to want to build a bridge with the Party, the Prime Minister and the Government."
It comes amid speculation that some Labour politicians have been in talks to join the new left-wing party being set up by ex Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana.
Ms Sultana was one of seven MPs who had the whip removed last year after voting to scrap the two-child benefit cap. Four were welcomed back to the party, but London MPs Apsana Begum and John McDonnell as well as Ms Sultana remained suspended.
Earlier this month Ms Sultana announced she was quitting Sir Keir’s party and would “co-lead the founding of a new party” with Mr Corbyn.
She said the project would also involve “other independent MPs, campaigners and activists across the country”.
In a statement, Mr Leishman said: “I am a proud Labour member, and I remain committed to the party. I wish to remain a Labour MP and deliver the positive change many voters are craving.
“I have voted against the government on issues because I want to effectively represent and be the voice for communities across Alloa & Grangemouth. I firmly believe that it is not my duty as an MP to make people poorer, especially those that have suffered because of austerity and its dire consequences.
“It is the honour of my life to be the MP for Alloa & Grangemouth, and my priority remains representing and fighting for constituents, whether they voted for me or not.”
Mr Duncan-Jordan has said he remains "as committed as ever" to Labour values, but accepted that voting against the welfare plans "could come at a cost".
In a statement, the MP for Poole said: "Since being elected, I have consistently spoken up for my constituents on a range of issues, including most recently on cuts to disability benefits.
"I understood this could come at a cost, but I couldn't support making disabled people poorer.
"Although I've been suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party today, I've been part of the Labour and trade union movement for 40 years and remain as committed as ever to its values."
Mr Hinchliff said: "I remain proud to have been elected as a Labour MP and I hope in time to return to the Labour benches.
"In the meantime I will continue to fight every day for the needs of my constituents and nothing will change in how I engage with and represent those I was elected to serve."
Richard Burgon, who lost the Labour whip last year after he rebelled on the two-child benefit cap but has since had it reinstated said that those who have been suspended "were simply standing up for their disabled constituents and following their consciences".
In a statement on X, he added: "Challenging policies that harm our communities, that damage Labour's support and that make a Reform government much more likely is a key role of Labour backbenchers.
"The Prime Minister should be listening to these voices, not punishing them."
The Fire Brigades Union have called the move an "outrageous and authoritarian act" and claimed the Labour leadership have "learned nothing from the huge outpouring of anger that the cuts to welfare have provoked".
General secretary Steve Wright added: "Instead of abandoning the benefit cuts that will force hundreds of thousands of families into poverty, Keir Starmer has chosen to purge Labour MPs who sought to halt this disastrous policy."
