Labour is facing a potential rebellion over its plans to cut billions from the welfare budget by getting more people off sickness benefits and into work.
There have been reports that up to 80 MPs are considering rebelling, which could be enough to eat into Labour’s sizeable Commons majority if other parties oppose the measure.
Although The i Paper understands Labour whips are not anticipating a rebellion on such a vast scale, there are MPs now prepared to put their heads above the parapet and voice public opposition to the controversial plans.
And despite the scale of the potential backlash, many Labour MPs support the measures, with more than 30 having signed a letter labelling the decision a “truly progressive endeavour”.
Sir Keir Starmer has sought to quell concerns, telling MPs last month that the current welfare system was “the worst of all worlds” and discouraged people from working while producing a “spiralling bill”.
“That’s unsustainable, it’s indefensible, and it is unfair; people feel that in their bones,” he said.
To tackle the rising cost, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall announced a package of reforms including stricter tests to receive the Personal Independent Payment (PIP), the scrapping of work capability assessments, halving incapacity benefits under Universal Credit and preventing under 22s from claiming them, and more incentives to work.
Many Labour MPs are making their opposition to the plans known.
As first reported by the LabourList website, here are the Labour MPs who have said they will rebel against the government:
The MP for Blackpool North and Fleetwood posted a video on Facebook in which she said: “I will not support anything which takes money out of the pockets of disabled people.
“The kind of society I want to see is one where those with the broadest shoulders carry the heaviest load, not one where the disabled carry the burden.”
Ian Byrne
The MP for Liverpool West Derby posted on X: “I represent some of the poorest wards in the country. I went into politics to fight on their behalf, not to impose more cuts on them.
“I cannot support the government’s welfare cuts. I will vote against them in Parliament.”
The MP for Poole posted on X: “We should be asking the wealthiest to pay their share – not targeting the poorest. I will vote against this proposal.”
Cat Eccles
The MP for Dudley posted on Blue Sky: “In the Spring Statement we heard of further cuts to benefits under the Chancellor’s self imposed fiscal rules. I have already said I cannot support welfare cuts but this has sealed the deal. I will vote against these proposals.”
Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington and ‘Mother of the House’, is among those who have criticised the Government’s plans (Photo: Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images)Veteran Labour MP and former shadow cabinet minister Diane Abbott posted on X last month: “I will be voting against these welfare cuts”.
She has strongly opposed the Government’s plans to cut benefits to fund other priorities, such as increased defence spending.
“I and a lot of other people are very worried about the burden of the cuts in order to spend more money on defence and so on, that it should fall on welfare, and in particular that it should fall on the disabled,” the “Mother of the House” told The Daily Telegraph.
Chris Hinchcliff
The MP for North East Hertfordshire posted on X: “If the Government chooses to bring harmful disability benefit cuts to Parliament, I will not vote to make my constituents poorer.”
The MP for Scarborough and Whitby posted on Facebook: “I am very worried that families who are on the edge will be pushed over it. I have advised Ms Kendall that as it currently stands I am unable to support these proposals.”
Imran Hussain
The MP for Bradford East posted on X: “Imposing cuts that will push disabled people and children into poverty is the wrong choice. A fairer, Labour choice would be to impose a wealth tax on the very wealthiest. If the Government doesn’t drop these plans, I’ll be voting against the cuts.”
Kim Johnson, the MP for Liverpool Riverside, has frequently criticised the Government for not scrapping the two-child benefit cap and has also spoken out against the planned cuts.
In a statement posted on X, she said: “I will be voting against any government legislation to enact these changes – I cannot support measures that will make our most vulnerable poorer and widen inequality across the country.”
Mary Kelly Foy
The MP for the City of Durham posted on X that she was “horrified by statistics circulating about how the Government’s changes to the social security system will impact disabled people and children”.
She added: “I cannot support the measures as they stand.”
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The MP for Blyth and Ashington posted on X: “Since being elected, I have never once voted to make my constituents poorer. Last year, when the government removed the Winter Fuel Allowance from pensioners, I opposed the move and abstained, breaking the whip. With hindsight, I should have gone further and voted against it.
“I will not let party loyalty stop me voting with my conscience again—especially when there are many other ways to raise the necessary funds.”
Brian Leishman
The MP for Alloa and Grangemouth posted on X: “Thanks to my constituents that have emailed me and to those that have spoke to me in person about the rumoured cuts to welfare. If it goes to a vote, then I will be voting against more austerity.”
The MP for South Shields said that the impact assessment for the reforms showed that the consequences for poverty would by “unconscionable”. “My constituents know I have always fought poverty”, she said. “I will not stop now.”
Clive Lewis
In a statement sent to a demonstration in Norwich against the cuts, the MP for Norwich South said: “I say this to the Chancellor: we do not accept anyone’s austerity. We do not accept the targeting of disabled people to pay for an economic crisis they did not cause. And we will not sit quietly while the basic right to live with dignity is eroded for the sake of arbitrary fiscal rules designed to protect the interests of the wealthy.”
Labour MP Clive Lewis (UK: Parliament)Speaking to the BBC’s Westminster Hour last month, Rachel Maskell, the Labour and Co-operative MP for York Central and a former shadow minister, warned that colleagues were “deeply concerned” about planned welfare reforms.
In a later statement posted on her website, she said: “I will not accept or vote for measures that will put people at risk or push deeper into poverty.”
Andy McDonald
The MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East said constituents were “worried to death” about the reforms. “I cannot support measures that are going to so negatively impact upon them,” he added.
The MP for Stockport posted on his website: “While I recognise that the Labour Government must rebalance the British economy after too many years of Conservative chaos and mismanagement, the reforms to the welfare system as currently proposed do not have my support.”
Grahame Morris
The MP for Easington posted a statement on X saying: “I am simply unable to support benefit cuts and will vote against any such proposals when they are debated in parliament.”
Connor Naismith, the MP for Crewe and Nantwich, is a new-intake MP who has spoken out against the planned welfare cuts.
He told The i Paper: “To reduce the welfare bill by cutting support for disabled people, including those we know cannot work, would be fundamentally wrong.”
He later confirmed on X that he would not vote for the reforms.
Simon Opher
Simon Opher, the GP-turned MP for Stroud, was reported by the Stroud News & Journal as saying: “I will not support proposals such as the tightening of eligibility for PIP when they come to a vote in Parliament, and I am writing to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to express my deep concerns with some of her proposals.
The MP for Wrexham has said he “cannot support” the cahnges to PIP in their current form.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy
The MP for Clapham and Brixton Hill posted on X: “The government’s own analysis shows that 50,000 children would be forced into poverty by planned cuts to disability benefits. I will be voting against this. No Labour MP should be voting to push children into poverty.”
The MP for Normanton and Hemsworth posted on X: “I will not be voting for cuts to poorest people on welfare benefits. The Chancellor has other options. Picking on disabled people is not the right thing to do.”
Chris Webb
The newly elected MP for Blackpool South called the plans a “devastating blow for people already using food banks, already waiting for mental health support.”
Nadia Whittome
The MP for Nottingham East posted on X: “I have written to the government to express my deep concerns about the proposed changes to disability benefits, and to ask a number of questions. I will vote against these cuts.”
In addition to those who have said they plan to vote against the reforms, the following MPs have expressed opposition to them:
Debbie Abrahams, Oldham East and Saddleworth
Dan Aldridge, Weston-super-Mare
Paula Barker, Liverpool Wavertree
Stella Creasy, Walthamstow
Marsha de Cordova, Battersea
Paul Foster, South Ribble
Barry Gardiner, Brent West
Mark Hendrick, Preston
Peter Lamb, Crawley
Rebecca Long-Bailey, Salford
Kate Osamor, Edmonton and Winchmore Hill
Kate Osborne, Jarrow and Gateshead East
Polly Billington, East Thanet
Alex Sobel, Leeds Central and Headingley
Yasmin Quershi, Bolton South West Steve Witherden, Montgomeryshire and Gly
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