SIR KEIR Starmer has put “party before country” by caving to rebels and softening his benefit cuts, a Labour peer has warned.

The PM was slammed for opting to appease the revolt rather than sticking with flagship reforms.

Lord Hutton, a former benefits minister, stated: “The country can’t afford to remain passive and witness the escalation of these welfare levels as they currently are. Although it’s a tough reality for many Labour MPs, we can’t continue avoiding it.”

He added: “I think the people that we mustn’t lose sight of in all of this debate are the taxpayers who fund the welfare system.”

“It’s reaching a level that I believe is truly unsustainable in the medium term, and it falls upon the government to tackle this issue, not to ignore its presence.”

He says that the PM will have “no choice” but to come back to welfare spending and try and reduce it.

The reversal on benefits and the change in policy regarding winter fuel will compel Chancellor Rachel Reeves to identify £4.5 billion after 126 Labour MPs threatened to disrupt the plans.

Downing Street insisted there would be no “permanent” increase in borrowing but declined to rue out tax rises at the Autumn Budget to pay for it.

Sir Keir said: “For me, getting that package adjusted in that way is the right thing to do, it means it’s the right balance, it’s common sense that we can now get on with it.”

But hardline Labour rebel Nadia Whittome said the concessions were “nowhere near good enough”.