A senior Conservative MP has claimed ministers are “listening” to backbench concerns over planning reform and discussing a compromise after the government pulled a planned vote on the measures.

The comments by former environment secretary Theresa Villiers came as ministers were embroiled in a deepening political row as Labour leader Keir Starmer yesterday accused the prime minister of being “weak” for backing down in the face of a threatened 50-strong backbench rebellion.

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