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A Labour MP has admitted Sir Keir Starmer’s policies have been “suicidal on the doorstep”. Ian Byrne, who represents Liverpool West Derby, pointed to decisions including axing winter fuel payments for pensioners, benefit cuts and the refusal to scrap the two-child benefit cap.

He told The Big Issue: “I got suspended for voting against the two-child benefit cap six months out. I told them to scrap the winter fuel payment because it was going to be a political disaster. I was ignored, and they’ve had to do a U-turn on that. You’re burning political capital all the time on things that aren’t necessary.”

He added: “Obviously we have the cuts to disability benefits and Pip (personal independence payments) and obviously we were extremely strong against them because, again, we could see the damage it was going to do to my community and the damage it was going to do to the city of Liverpool and beyond.”

Branding the Government’s planned welfare cuts as “totally unnecessary”, Mr Byrne added: “I think that’s where we had to make the Government understand.

“We just need to stop making political decisions which are suicidal on the doorstep.”