Pressure has mounted on Chancellor George Osborne to give way on plans to cut tax credits for low-paid workers, as a succession of Conservative MPs stood up in Parliament on Tuesday to voice their misgivings.
New Tory MP Heidi Allen used her maiden speech in the House of Commons to warn that the changes go "too hard and too fast", and that it was "real people, working people" who would be affected.
Labour has called for a rebellion from Tory MPs concerned about proposed cuts to tax credits, as Jeremy Corbyn's party prepares to table its opposition to the government's controversial policy.
Chancellor George Osborne stood firm on the measure despite some opposition from his own backbenchers, with the Treasury later putting out figures defending £15 billion in savings it said would be achieved by 2017 as the result of tax credit reforms since the start of the coalition government.
Shadow work and pensions secretary Owen Smith and shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Seema Malhotra have now written to Tory MPs calling on them to back a Labour motion opposing the plans.
"This issue transcends narrow party lines, as surely none of us came in to politics to take money away from low and middle paid workers," the letter said.
"If left to go ahead, the changes will make people significantly worse off the length and breadth of the country, hitting thousands of people in every constituency. This is why representatives of all parties have raised concerns about this issue."
Among senior Conservatives to have spoken out against the measures are Boris Johnson - who said he believed they were under "intensive review" - and former Cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell - who called on the Treasury to "tweak" the plans.
The Democratic presidential candidate may also have shown his cards on his choice of running mate.
The US president also shared a post on Twitter accusing Dr Anthony Fauci of misleading the public over hydroxychloroquine.
Fears over an impending second wave of coronavirus dominates Wednesday’s front pages.