Anas Sarwar backs UK disability benefit cuts as Labour MPs revolt
By Wednesday evening, 12 Scottish Labour MPs out of 37 had signed their names to a reasoned amendment which would block the UK Government welfare cuts if it passes a vote on July 1.
In total, around 130 Labour MPs have put their names to the amendment opposing Keir Starmer's Government's plan to cut some £5 billion from disability benefits annually. This will be done largely by cutting back Personal Independence Payments (Pip) – the main disability benefit which is also paid to people in-work – and the health element of Universal Credit.
Speaking to the Holyrood Sources podcast in Edinburgh on Wednesday, Sarwar was asked if he supported the Scottish Labour MPs opposing the welfare cuts.
He said: 'Look, my position has been quite consistent on the welfare reforms, which is I support the principle of reform.
'We do have to look at the structural challenges that exist in our welfare system, even with the changes currently being proposed, and I saw the Deputy Prime Minister, just when I came in, saying in an interview that discussions are ongoing around the specifics of the bill.
'Even with the changes that we proposed, welfare spending will be going up over the course of this parliament, not coming down.
'And it's also important to note, and I think this is a fundamental Labour principle, that I believe work is the best route out of poverty, that's a fundamental Labour principle – but not everyone can work and those that can't work should get the support that they deserve.
'There are many positives in this legislation, for example, the end to mandatory reassessments, particularly for those that have lifelong conditions, the billion pounds extra that goes into back to work schemes.'
Asked again to state his position on the welfare cuts as proposed, Sarwar suggested that the UK Government's Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill may change before the crunch vote next Tuesday.
'Conversations are underway,' he said. 'As you would expect, people are legitimately raising their concerns, having those conversations … I think it's safe to say that there'll be ongoing conversations with the legislation and legitimate concerns should be addressed, but we should absolutely support the principle of reform.'
Sarwar added that although he is 'not party to the direct conversations that individual MPs are having … we have to support the principle of reform'.
His comments came after Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner insisted the Government was not expecting backbenchers to go against traditional party values by backing the planned welfare cuts.
Asked what concessions could be offered to convince rebels to back the bill, Rayner said 'discussions are ongoing'.
'I'm not going to get into that on your show tonight,' she said in an interview on ITV's Peston programme.
'Those discussions are ongoing around making sure that the welfare reforms that we're bringing in support people into work who need that, and we're putting a huge amount of investment into doing that, but also protecting the most vulnerable.'
She acknowledged that 'a lot of people are very scared about these changes' but added: 'I haven't changed my Labour values and we're not expecting our benches to do anything that isn't in check with them.
'What we want to do is support people, and that is the crucial bit around these reforms of what Labour are trying to achieve, and we're discussing that with our MPs.'
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, who has already taken steps to soften the impact of the welfare Bill, has been locked in talks with backbenchers as she seeks to win over those opposed to the measures.
Other senior Labour figures outside Parliament, including Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and London Mayor Sadiq Khan, have also publicly expressed their opposition to the plans.
Meanwhile, the Tories seem unlikely to lend the Government their support, with leader Kemi Badenoch setting out conditions for doing so including a commitment to rule out tax rises in the autumn budget and further cut the benefits bill.
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She acknowledged that 'a lot of people are very scared about these changes' but added: 'I haven't changed my Labour values and we're not expecting our benches to do anything that isn't in check with them. 'What we want to do is support people, and that is the crucial bit around these reforms of what Labour are trying to achieve, and we're discussing that with our MPs.' The plans restrict eligibility for personal independence payment (Pip), the main disability payment in England, and limit the sickness-related element of universal credit. The Government hopes the changes will get more people back into work and save up to £5 billion a year. Existing claimants will be given a 13-week phase-out period of financial support, a move seen as a bid to head off opposition by aiming to soften the impact of the changes. But the fact so many Labour MPs are prepared to put their names to the 'reasoned amendment' calling for a change of course shows how entrenched the opposition remains. 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Speaking to BBC Newsnight, Mr Pollard said the Government had 'between now and Tuesday to listen to those concerns' and 'to address them' before making the case for reform in the Commons debate next week. Asked whether the Government would listen to calls for it to change course over planned cuts to Pip, he said: 'I think that's for many colleagues where the real concern is.' Other senior Labour figures outside Parliament, including Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, have publicly expressed their opposition to the plans. Meanwhile, the Tories seem unlikely to lend the Government their support, with leader Kemi Badenoch setting out conditions for doing so including a commitment to rule out tax rises in the autumn budget and further cut the benefits bill.
