
How Scottish Labour MPs voted on disability cuts bill
The bill will increase the basic Universal Credit standard allowance at least in line with inflation until 2029/30.
But the Government has proposed freezing the 'limited capability for work' (LCW) part of the benefit until 2030 – a measure which triggered a separate rebellion of 37 Labour MPs.
New claimants who sign up for the 'limited capability for work and work-related activity' payment would receive a lower rate than existing claimants after April 2026, unless they meet a set of severe conditions criteria or are terminally ill, which the same rebels also opposed.
READ MORE: Ed Miliband ditches plans for cheap energy in Scotland, reports say
Rachael Maskell, who helped see off proposed cuts to Personal Independence Payments that the Government was forced to take out of the bill, said: 'No matter what spin, to pass the Bill tonight, this will leave such a stain on our great party, founded on values of equality and justice.'
LibDem MP Christine Jardine (below) lost her role in the party's front bench as Scotland spokesperson for voting against a Tory-led amendment to the bill.
A party spokesperson said the official position was to abstain, as 'a vote against was effectively a vote to implement this shambolic bill in full'.
They added: 'Instead LibDems voted to oppose the welfare bill altogether. Christine decided to take a different view and therefore is no longer on the front bench.'
How Scottish Labour MPs voted on the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill at third reading
For
Zubir Ahmed, Glasgow South West
Douglas Alexander, East Lothian
Scott Arthur, Edinburgh South West
Richard Baker, Glenrothes and Mid Fife
Johanna Baxter, Paisley and Renfrewshire South
Torcuil Crichton, Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Graeme Downie, Dunfermline and Dollar
Patricia Ferguson, Glasgow West
Alan Gemmell, Central Ayrshire
John Grady, Glasgow East
Lillian Jones, Kilmarnock and Loudoun
Chris Kane, Stirling and Strathallan
Douglas McAllister, West Dunbartonshire
Martin McCluskey, Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West
Blair McDougall, East Renfrewshire
Gordon McKee, Glasgow South
Frank McNally, Coatbridge and Bellshill
Kirsty McNeill, Midlothian
Chris Murray, Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
Ian Murray, Edinburgh South
Katrina Murray, Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch
Gregor Poynton, Livingston
Joani Reid, East Kilbride and Strathaven
Martin Rhodes, Glasgow North
Michael Shanks, Rutherglen
Kenneth Stevenson, Airdrie and Shotts
Elaine Stewart, Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock
Kirsteen Sullivan, Bathgate and Linlithgow
Alison Taylor, Paisley and Renfrewshire North
Imogen Walker, Hamilton and Clyde Valley
Melanie Ward, Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy
Against
Maureen Burke, Glasgow North East
Irene Campbell, North Ayrshire and Arran
Tracy Gilbert, Edinburgh North and Leith
Brian Leishman, Alloa and Grangemouth
Euan Stainbank, Falkirk
No vote recorded
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Glasgow Times
22 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
George Galloway to stand for Holyrood 2026 election
The former Labour MP, who now leads the Workers Party, told The Herald his party will contest Glasgow's Southside following Nicola Sturgeon's announcement that she is stepping down in May. Yvonne Ridley, a former member of Alex Salmond's Alba Party and journalist, will also contest the Glasgow Pollok seat for Galloway's party following former first minister Humza Yousaf's plans to step down next year. Galloway said he will top the Workers Party list for next year's Holyrood election and that his party are going to 'put everything' into winning Glasgow's Southside. 'We're going all out for it and we've got a lot of support,' he said. Asked if he was confident of winning, Galloway said: 'I wouldn't say confident.' He added: 'We're hopeful that we can win in it. We're going to put everything into trying to do so.' Galloway said momentum for the Workers Party was growing in Glasgow and that he has had people ask if they can stand in seats in Inverness and Edinburgh. 'But these seats in Glasgow are our current and number one target,' he said, adding: 'We're strong there.' (Image: PA) According to The Herald, his Holyrood campaign will strongly focus on the crisis in Gaza, and the end to Israel's genocidal campaign. The veteran politician has also said he would back a second referendum on Scottish independence. In June, Galloway came out in support of a Scottish independence referendum despite having been opposed to Scotland having the right to self-determination for his entire political life. In 2021, he pledged to 'tackle the scourge of separatism' when All for Unity launched their Scottish Parliament election manifesto. But in June, Galloway made the surprise announcement that he had changed his view as he said in a social media post: 'We support the right of the Scots to self-determination. Eleven years after they last did so, we believe the time for another referendum is close. 'Given the collapsing authority of the British state the pitiful prime minister Starmer the moral decline of British society the result cannot easily be predicted. Britain has become a cesspit.' Galloway founded the Workers Party of Britain in 2019 and has served as an MP across five different constituencies, including Glasgow Hillhead between 1987 and 1997 and Glasgow Kelvin from 1997 to 2005.


Telegraph
23 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Workers face inheritance tax sting if they die before minimum pension age
Labour will hit workers with inheritance tax on their retirement pots even if they die before pension age. Rachel Reeves announced in her maiden Budget last October that pension pots would no longer be exempt from death duties from April 2027, making them subject to a levy of up to 40pc. However, it was not clear whether inheritance tax would apply if someone dies before they turn 55 – the age at which they can access their pension. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has now confirmed that death duties will be levied even if a saver never had the opportunity to spend their retirement savings.

The National
33 minutes ago
- The National
Call for probe into radioactive leak in Scottish loch and ‘cover-up'
The Scottish Greens have said it was a 'stark failure on the part of the UK Government', adding that it could have 'serious consequences'. A joint investigation from The Guardian and The Ferret – also reported by the BBC – found that the material was released into Loch Long in Argyll and Bute. It comes after a six-year battle to access documents which involved Scotland's information commissioner. READ MORE: Three new cancer drugs approved for use for NHS Scotland The investigation revealed that files compiled by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) – the environment watchdog – stated the Royal Navy failed to properly maintain a network of 1500 pipes at the Coulport armaments depot. Coulport holds the Royal Navy's supply of nuclear warheads for its fleet of Trident submarines, which are based at HMNB Clyde at Faslane, near Helensburgh. Sepa said the issues at Coulport, which date back to a pipe burst in 2010, were caused by "shortfalls in maintenance". One incident listed in the files, which took place in August 2019, resulted in the release of "unnecessary radioactive waste" in the form of low levels of tritium, which is used in nuclear warheads. The environment watchdog insisted that its assessments found the risk to the environment from effluent discharges was "of no regulatory concern". Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said there had been "no unsafe releases of radioactive material" into the environment. The files were released after a ruling by Scottish information commissioner David Hamilton, who oversees the country's freedom of information laws. According to The Guardian and The Ferret, the UK Government allegedly insisted the files had to be kept secret for national security reasons. However, in June Hamilton ruled that most of the files had to be released as their disclosure did not threaten national security but "reputations". Now, the Scottish Greens have called for an investigation to be launched. (Image: PA) "It is scandalous, but given the long list of previous incidents at Faslane and Coulport, its sadly no surprise,' MSP for West Scotland Ross Greer (above) said. "The Ministry of Defence has long played fast and loose with these weapons of mass slaughter, throwing billions at private contractors whilst failing to even maintain its own facilities.' He added: "These revelations will have been particularly chilling for my constituents who live near the site. To reassure them, UK Ministers must now investigate and explain why it happened and the steps they are taking to ensure it never does again. We need full transparency and accountability, not more secrecy. 'Nuclear weapons are a moral obscenity. They have no place in Scotland. These incidents underline the direct risk to the local communities who host them. "It's time to disarm our waters and get these dangerous weapons of mass slaughter out of Scotland." READ MORE: Historic English fuel firm opening new Scottish head office in Grangemouth Commenting on the issue, ALBA depute leader Neale Hanvey added: 'This is a disgraceful cover-up by the UK Government. Radioactive leaks into Scottish waters were kept secret to protect Westminster's nuclear obsession—not our communities. 'The UK government and MoD have form when it come to this. When I challenged them on radiation leaks in 2023 their response raised more questions than it answered. 'Scotland is treated as a dumping ground for weapons we don't want and dangers we didn't vote for. Independence is the only way we rid ourselves of nuclear weapons and end this toxic disregard for our nation's safety.' A MoD spokesperson previously said: "We place the upmost importance on our responsibilities for handling radioactive substances safely and securely. "There have been no unsafe releases of radioactive material into the environment at any stage. "We frequently engage with regulators who report there is no significant impact on the environment or public health and are supportive of an open reporting culture."