Labour defeated over 1% cap
A Labour bid to remove the 1% cap on benefit increases from the Government's welfare uprating bill has been defeated.
MPs voted 312 to 238 against an amendment which would have removed any reference to the cap.
Labour's Shadow Work and Pensions Minister Stephen Timms earlier appeared to commit the party to raising benefits in line with inflation.
After voicing his support for an inflation-linked rise, Mr Timms was asked if he was offering a "commitment" on behalf of the Opposition.
"Indeed, uprating should be in line with inflation as it always was in the past," he replied.
However party sources this evening told the BBC the shadow minister was simply referring to Labour's existing policy, and was not offering a commitment for 2015.