POLL: Should Keir Starmer scrap the two-child benefit cap after mini 'rebellion'?

Keir Starmer was branded “ruthless” after he defeated his first major backbench rebellion since the election, as a number of high-profile Labour MPs hoped to force his hand.

He suspended seven of his own MPs yesterday for rebelling against him in a key King’s Speech vote over child benefits. Government whips had spent the day threatening MPs in the hope of staving off the widely-anticipated rebellion.

An SNP amendment to the King’s Speech calling for the abolition of the two-child benefit cap was defeated by 363 to 103.

However MPs complained that the Government’s new whips had been using too much stick, and not enough carrot, to cajole them into the right voting lobby.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn urged Government backbenchers to rebel after Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle selected a King’s Speech amendment pressing for the policy to be abolished “immediately”.

The SNP proposal was backed by Plaid Cymru, the Green Party and other MPs, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn – who is now an Independent.

42 Labour MPs abstained on the vote, including rebel ringleader Diane Abbott.

In a statement this evening, Ms Abbott said she had been away from Parliament and therefore unable to vote, slapping down any suggestion she had been ‘got to’ by Government whips.

And now Express.co.uk readers have their chance to vote in our poll on whether Starmer should scrap the two-child benefit cap.

If you can't see the poll above, click here to vote.