Whips Urge Labour Rebels To Abstain On Welfare Bill
3 min read
Government whips are urging unhappy Labour MPs to abstain on the Welfare Bill as Downing Street struggles to abate a backbench rebellion, PoliticsHome understands.
On Wednesday, the government published the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill for the first time and introduced it to Parliament. The government argues the bill will help more people get into work and put an end to unsustainable welfare spending.
However, the proposed cuts to benefits, particularly to Personal Independence Payments (PIP), have upset large numbers of Labour MPs who argue they go too far and will harm vulnerable people.
Keir Starmer's political director, Claire Reynolds, today had meetings with Labour MPs who plan to oppose the legislation when it is put to a House of Commons vote, amid warnings that dozens of backbenchers could defy the government.
Labour MPs have also been invited this afternoon to meet with ministers and officials from the Department for Work and Pensions to discuss the bill.
On Wednesday morning, government whips were urging would-be rebels to abstain on the legislation, rather than vote against it.
Labour MPs have also been warned that voting against the government would put them on the same side as Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, PoliticsHome understands.
A DWP impact assessment published in March estimated that planned welfare reforms would see an additional 250,000 people – including 50,000 children – pushed into relative poverty.
Speaking at the time, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said the reforms would help "more to help people stay in work" and "get back to work more quickly".
Those planning to rebel on the vote say they will not follow the whip unless the government moves on their two priorities – conducting a full impact assessment, and changing the new eligibility requirement for the daily living component of PIP, which will mean applicants must score a minimum of four points on at least one daily living activity.
But speaking to reporters en route to the G7 summit in Canada on Sunday, Starmer indicated that the government would not make further concessions despite the threat of a backbench rebellion.
"We need to do reform, and we will be getting on with that reform when the bill comes," the Prime Minister said.
Kendall today said: "Our social security system is at a crossroads. Unless we reform it, more people will be denied opportunities, and it may not be there for those who need it.
"This legislation represents a new social contract and marks the moment we take the road of compassion, opportunity and dignity.
"This will give people peace of mind, while also fixing our broken social security system so it supports those who can work to do so while protecting those who cannot – putting welfare spending on a more sustainable path to unlock growth as part of our Plan for Change.”
Sources have also told PoliticsHome that MPs' staffers usually have regular online meetings chaired by Reynolds, but these have "dried up", becoming more irregular, since the government released details of its welfare plans and staffers raised concerns during a video call with social security minister Stephen Timms about the reforms.
