Rachel Reeves faces benefits U-turn call from constituency Labour Party
Rachel Reeves is facing demands from her constituency branch of the Labour Party to reverse her planned benefits cuts.
The Leeds and West Pudsey Constituency Labour Party (CLP) passed a motion this week to oppose the Chancellor's proposals to bring down the benefits bill.
Ms Reeves is also bracing for a rebellion by more than 100 of her party's own MPs against proposals that would cut the welfare budget by almost £5 billion.
The reforms would mean only the most disabled adults could claim Personal Independence Payments (PIP), while under-22s would no longer be eligible for Universal Credit.
In a motion seen by the PA news agency, the Leeds West and Pudsey CLP said disabled people 'are not responsible for the state of the national finances'.
The group added that those currently claiming disability benefits 'should not be made to pay the price for Tory economic mismanagement'.
The CLP went on to urge Ms Reeves to 'focus on reducing the taper', the rate at which benefits decrease once somebody has found work, rather than on bringing down personal allowances.
It said it would write to both Ms Reeves and Liz Kendall, the Work and Pensions Secretary, in the coming week to articulate its proposed opposition to her cuts.
The CLP argued it was particularly concerned about measures that would involve 'reducing rates, implementing higher thresholds, poor quality assessments, or increased conditionality'.
Ms Reeves first confirmed the welfare cuts in her Spring Statement in March.
Full details will be unveiled in a Bill that is still being drawn up by ministers but is expected to be tabled in the Commons and voted on next month.
In a letter that will be sent to Alan Campbell, the Chief Whip, this week, about 130 MPs have said Sir Keir Starmer and Ms Reeves must change course or risk defeat in the Commons.
The rebels are demanding concessions that include a full impact assessment before any legislation is published, and an extended consultation over the changes to PIP.
Unrest about the cuts is understood to extend to within the Government itself, with a number of Parliamentary Private Secretaries (PPS), the most junior ministerial rank, said to be wavering on the issue.
Backbenchers have dismissed Ms Reeves's agenda as an example of 'Treasury capture' and claimed it is unfair on people with long-term disabilities whose conditions are unlikely to improve.
Sir Keir, Ms Reeves and Ms Kendall have all defended the 'moral' case for the benefits cuts, which they say are necessary in order to balance the books and help disabled people into work where possible.
Speaking at Work and Pensions Questions last week, Ms Kendall insisted groups representing disabled people would form part of the consultation over the benefit cuts.
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