Labour MPs Rebel Against Planned Disability Benefit Cuts
A growing rebellion is underway among Labour MPs over the government’s planned cuts to disability benefits, with senior MP Tan Dhesi calling for "corrective action" to be taken. The proposed cuts, which would tighten the eligibility requirements for the Personal Independent Payment (PIP), have sparked concerns among Labour backbenchers, with around 40 MPs in the party’s traditional heartlands in the north of England reposting a statement on social media expressing their opposition.
According to Sky News, Mr Dhesi, chair of the influential Commons defence committee, told the Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge that the "disappointing" local election results show the government must listen and learn, particularly over welfare reforms. He emphasised that it is the government’s "moral duty" to look after the most vulnerable members of society.
The proposed cuts to PIP, which is a benefit for people with disabilities, would require claimants to score a minimum of four points on one PIP daily living activity, such as preparing food, washing and bathing, using the toilet or reading, to receive the daily living element of the benefit. Mr Dhesi argued that the government needs to take "corrective action" over the planned cuts, but insisted that if the government changed tack, it would not be a U-turn as the disability cuts were only proposals.
As Sky News reports, Minister Alex Davies-Jones told the Politics Hub that a Labour government "will always seek to protect the most vulnerable" and wants to "listen to people who have got real lived experience". She added that she has the "utmost respect for Tan, he’s a great constituency MP and he’s doing exactly what he should be doing, is representing his constituency".
The rebellion against the planned cuts has gained momentum, with several backbench Labour MPs speaking out against the plans during a debate on PIP and disabled people in parliament on Wednesday. Ian Byrne, MP for Liverpool West Derby, said he would "swim through vomit to vote against" the proposed changes, adding that "this is not what the Labour Party was formed to do". Bell Ribeiro-Addy, the MP for Clapham and Brixton Hill, expressed concerns that tightening PIP eligibility would cause deaths, citing a study that attributed 330,000 excess deaths in Britain between 2012 and 2019 to the last round of austerity cuts.
Diane Abbott, the longest-serving female MP, accused the government of putting forward "contradictory arguments", saying that they cannot both claim to be helping disabled people by getting them back to work and also argue that the cut will save £9bn. Meanwhile, David Pinto-Duschinsky, a Labour MP, said that MPs cannot "ignore this issue" of health-related benefit claimant figures rising at "twice the rate of underlying health conditions".
In response, social security minister Sir Stephen Timms said that PIP claims were set to "more than double, from two million to over 4.3 million this decade". He added that it would not be in the interests of people currently claiming the benefits for the government to "bury its head in the sand" over the rate of increase.
The growing rebellion among Labour MPs highlights the challenges facing the government as it seeks to implement its welfare reforms. As Sky News notes, the issue has sparked a significant debate within the Labour party, with many MPs expressing concerns about the impact of the planned cuts on vulnerable members of society.
The debate over the planned disability benefit cuts is set to continue, with many Labour MPs vowing to oppose the changes. The government will need to carefully consider the concerns of its MPs and the potential impact of the cuts on disabled people before making any final decisions.
In related news, Sky News reported that Sir Keir Starmer defended winter fuel cuts, a move that has also sparked controversy within the Labour party. The party’s leadership is facing pressure to respond to the concerns of its MPs and the wider public over the planned welfare reforms.
Sources:
Sky News
