Over a third of Brits think Starmer made the right decision to suspend 7 Labour MPs for voting against the official Labour position on the two-child benefit cap

New polling by Ipsos has found that just over a third (37%) of Britons believe that Prime Minister Keir Starmer made the right decision suspending 7 Labour MPs after they voted against the government’s position on the two-child benefit cap. A quarter (25%) believe the decision was wrong. Among those who voted Labour on July 4th, 42% support the decision, rising to 46% of those who voted Conservative. Britons who are between 18 and 34 years of age were more divided, with roughly 3 in 10 each thinking it was the right and wrong decision.

Opinions on the benefit system

• 40% of Britons believe that the current system of paying benefits for a maximum of two children should remain in place (+7 since August 2023). 
• 38% believe that parents should be able to claim benefits for more than two children. This includes 15% who believe that there should be no limit on the number of children, and 23% who believe that there should be a limit, but it should be higher than two. 
• There is a high level of dissatisfaction with the benefits system overall. Over half (54%) of Britons say that the current system does poorly at tackling child poverty and providing good value for taxpayers’ money. 
• This includes 38% of Conservative voters, and 53% of Labour voters who believe that the system does poorly at tacking child poverty.

Support for the two-child benefit cap by party vote

• There is a divide among those who voted Labour at the latest general election. 36% believe the current policy should stay in place, 34% believe that the limit should be higher than two, and 15% say that the cap should be eliminated entirely. 
• Conversely, there is strong support for the policy among those who voted Conservative, with 57% believing that it should stay in place. 15% believe that no additional benefits should be paid to people with children.

Commenting on the findings, Ipsos Managing Director of Public Affairs, Trinh Tu said:

Public opinion on Keir Starmer's decision to suspend Labour MPs who voted against the two-child benefit cap is divided, reflecting a broader debate about the policy itself and its impact on child poverty.  Many people are dissatisfied with the current benefit system's effectiveness, particularly regarding child poverty and responsible use of taxpayer money. This dissatisfaction is particularly strong among Labour voters, putting Starmer in a difficult position as he tries to balance the demands of his party with fiscal responsibility.  Conservative voters, on the other hand, strongly support the two-child benefit cap. This difference of opinion highlights the political challenges in addressing child poverty and the complexities of the UK's welfare system.

Technical note
Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 1,052 adults aged 18-75 across Great Britain. Polling was conducted online between 24-25 July 2024. Data are weighted to match the profile of the population. All polls are subject to a wide range of potential sources of error.