Bedford MP stripped of trade envoy position after welfare rebellion
Mohammad Yasin, MP for Bedford, has been removed from his position as the UK’s Trade Envoy to Pakistan in a move understood to be part of a broader set of reprisals by Prime Minister Keir Starmer following a Labour backbench rebellion over proposed welfare cuts.
On January 28, 2025, the MP had expressed his profound honour at the appointment, stating on X (formerly Twitter): “This is an incredible opportunity to foster stronger trade ties, promote investment, and unlock mutual growth between our two great nations.”
However, the political landscape has shifted dramatically since then. Keir Starmer’s premiership, which began with immediate internal dissent over the two-child benefit cap, has now seen a renewed crackdown on party discipline.
Mohammad Yasin is one of three Labour MPs, alongside Rosena Allin-Khan and Bell Ribeiro-Addy, who have lost their trade envoy posts. This decision could not be seen as a surprise, as trade envoys are expected to uphold collective responsibility and support government policy.
The removals come in the aftermath of a mass welfare revolt, where 47 Labour MPs, including Mohammad Yasin, defied the government’s proposed cuts to welfare and successfully forced ministers to water down their plans.
In addition to the trade envoy dismissals, four other Labour MPs – Neil Duncan-Jordan, Chris Hinchcliff, Brian Leishman, and Rachael Maskell – have had the party whip removed for “repeated breaches of party discipline.”
All seven of these MPs were among the 47 who voted against the welfare bill in its amended form.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service has approached Mr Yasin for a response – but as of reporting, there has been no comment from his office regarding the decision, despite social media posts on other activities carried out by the MP.