Exclusive: Dozens of Labour MPs understood to have urged the government to think again

• ‘There is no moral case’: Labour divided over prospect of benefit cuts

Keir Starmer could face the biggest rebellion of his premiership with dozens of Labour MPs angry at his plans to cut billions from the rising welfare bill and threatening to vote against freezing disability benefits.

In a bid to avoid a damaging showdown with MPs and peers, Downing Street began inviting groups of Labour backbenchers to meetings on Wednesday, stressing the “moral case” for changes designed to get people back to work as they made the case for painful changes.