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A significant number of Labour MPs are joining forces to oppose the government’s upcoming changes to the benefits system. Over 100 MPs have endorsed an amendment that would allow them to vote on rejecting the welfare reform bill in its entirety. The main concern among Labour MPs revolves around the proposed cuts to disability and sickness-related benefits, aimed at saving £5bn annually by 2030. Despite attempts by ministers to mitigate the impact of the changes, a large faction of Labour MPs remain dissatisfied with the overall package of benefits reform.
The legislation, known as the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, includes provisions that would tighten eligibility criteria for personal independence payment (Pip) for disabled individuals with less severe conditions. The amendment, available on the UK Parliament website, outlines reasons for opposing the bill, citing concerns about the potential increase in relative poverty, lack of adequate consultation, and insufficient impact assessment on job market and public health repercussions. This reasoned amendment allows MPs to voice their objections to the bill and, if chosen by House Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle and supported by the majority of MPs, could halt the bill’s progress through Parliament.
Among the Labour MPs supporting the amendment are 10 select committee chairs, including prominent figures like Tan Dhesi, Dame Meg Hillier, and Cat Smith. The sheer number of opposing Labour MPs could pose a significant challenge to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government in the House of Commons, particularly if other opposition parties also stand against the proposals. With a working majority of 165, the government would need at least 83 Labour MPs to oppose the bill for it to face a defeat in Parliament. The pending vote on the bill is scheduled for Tuesday 1 July, presenting a crucial juncture in the ongoing debate over welfare reform.
In defense of the government’s proposed welfare reforms, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall emphasized the necessity of balanced spending on benefits and the importance of a fair society. While the government has attempted to assuage concerns by extending transition periods for those impacted by the changes, the discontent among MPs persists. Criticism from within Labour ranks and the broader opposition may compel the government to reconsider aspects of its welfare package. As the debate intensifies and the impending vote draws closer, the fate of the welfare reform bill hangs in the balance, with the potential to reshape the landscape of social security policies in the UK
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