A quarter of Scottish Labour MPs join welfare rebellion

BBC News

18 hours ago

A quarter of Scottish Labour MPs have joined a rebellion against UK government's controversial welfare reforms. Nine out of the party's 37 parliamentarians, including the chair of the Scottish affairs committee, have signed an amendment that would potentially allow them to block controversial changes to the benefits system.They are part of a group of more than 100 Labour MPs rebelling against Sir Keir Starmer's government. Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden said ministers were "happy to talk" to MPs with concerns, but defended the bill as "a really important package of benefit reform".
The government's Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill aims to save £5bn a year by cutting disability and sickness-related benefits.It includes proposals to make it harder for disabled people with less severe conditions to claim personal independence payments.
The bill has been heavily criticised by some Labour MPs, while the Scottish government warned it would be "devastating" for disabled people. A total of 108 Labour MPs have signed an amendment that would give them an opportunity to vote on a proposal to reject the welfare reform bill in its entirety.The amendment said the reforms are expected to push people into relative poverty and expressed concerns about a lack of consultation and an inadequate impact assessment.The Scottish signatories include the chair of the Scottish affairs committee, Patricia Ferguson, and Brian Leishman, who has been outspoken critic of the government over benefits reform, cuts to winter fuel payments and the closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery in his constituency. Scottish Labour MPs Elaine Stewart, Tracy Gilbert, Scott Arthur, Euan Stainbank, Lillian Jones, Richard Baker and Kirsten Sullivan have also joined the rebellion.
The UK government has warned that spending on health and disability benefits is forecast to reach £70bn a year by the end of the decade, describing that outlay as "unsustainable".According to the Labour administration's own impact assessment, its reforms could push an extra 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, into relative poverty.Ministers say that analysis does not consider the government's plans to spend £1bn on helping the long-term sick and disabled back into work, or its efforts to reduce poverty.The vote on the bill is scheduled to take place next Tuesday.If it passes, the government is aiming to introduce the welfare reforms by November 2026. No-one will lose out on benefits payments until that happens.
UK government minister Pat McFadden said the number of people on long-term sickness and disability benefits was set to double in the coming years. "That is not something the government thinks it is right to sit back and be relaxed about," he told BBC Breakfast. The government has a working majority of 165 in the Commons, meaning that 83 Labour MPs would need to oppose the bill to force a parliamentary defeat.SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn called on Labour ministers to withdraw the bill.He said: "It's now abundantly clear the prime minister has underestimated the huge scale of opposition to his grotesque Labour Party cuts to disabled people, which by their own estimation will push 250,000 children and disabled families into poverty, and will stain the Labour Party's reputation even worse than their winter fuel payment cuts."