By Bill Heaney
Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing the biggest rebellion of his premiership tonight over controversial welfare cuts.
MPs are expected to vote this evening on reforms – first set out in March – with the government bracing for a huge revolt from angry Labour MPs.
Ministers hope concessions will be enough to win over Labour rebels, one of whom is almost certain not to be Douglas McAllister, pictured right, the MP for West Dunbartonshire, who won the seat from the SNP at the General Election.
Welfare chief Liz Kendall who opened the debate, admitted that welfare reform is “never easy” – but insisted it cannot be “ducked by the Government”.
She defended the massive DWP shake-up after a bruising week for the government over controversial disability cuts.
While some Labour MPs have said they will now back the government after last week’s concessions, which will now protect current claimants, some 50-60 of them are still said to be considering voting against the government. It would be the biggest revolt of Mr Starmer’s premiership so far.
Meanwhile, opposing the Government’s welfare plans, Labour MP Rebecca Long-Bailey said: “Despite concessions and even excluding existing claimants, brutal cuts will still push hundreds of thousands of vulnerable sick and disabled people into poverty.
“Existing claimants will live in fear, if their situation changes and they’re reassessed, they could lose everything under the new system.
“Disabled children will look to the future with trepidation, knowing that in adulthood the support that would have helped them live a full and fruitful life might not be there.”
Fellow Labour MP Dan Carden added: “I have been frustrated that ministers have continued to say that this Bill is rooted in fairness.
“Its origins came about, as far as my recollection goes, as a £5 billion cut from Treasury, and I think that has marred the whole situation moving forward.”
In their letter, they wrote: “There are approximately 3,500 young care leavers aged 18 – 21 not in education, employment or training due to a disability or illness many of whom will be eligible for the health element of Universal Credit.
“There are an additional 13,000 care leavers who are NEET for “unknown reasons” many of whom will also be eligible.
“Given the high proportion of care leavers potentially eligible for support, we are concerned that changes to both Universal Credit, and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) eligibility and rates, could disproportionately affect this group.”
The Commons Work and Pensions Committee chairwoman has described the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill as a “dog’s breakfast”.
Debbie Abrahams told the Commons: “I absolutely agree with (Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall) about the need – and the general recognition I think is across this House – of the need to reform the social security system.”
The Labour MP later described “clear confusion about the Pip (personal independence payment) review – will it be co-produced with disabled people and their organisations?”
Referring to the proposed requirement for new Pip claimants to score at least four points on at least one daily living activity, Ms Abrahams added: “If so, why are we saying that the outcome of that review and the new Pip assessment is pre-determined at four points?
“And therein lies the problem – most of us are aware that the dog’s breakfast of this Bill is being driven by the need to get four points to the OBR (Office for Budget Responsibility) to enable it to be scored for the budget.”
The Government’s welfare reforms are “un-British” and “unjust”, MPs have been told.
Lib Dem work and pensions spokesman Steve Darling said his party will be supporting Ms Maskell’s reasoned amendment, which aims to halt progress of the Bill.
Mr Darling, speaking as his Guide Dog Jennie sat at his feet, said: “This two-tier approach to this system is wrong, and I have, and the Liberal Democrats have, grave concerns that this is un-British, it’s unjust, and it is not the way of our world.
“We’ve heard from the minister saying it’s been done before, but that doesn’t make it right. That doesn’t make it right. It is almost Orwellian that we will be having a system where in our law we say that all disabled people are equal, but some are more equal than others.”
He added that Treasury minister Darren Jones’ comments comparing personal independence payments (Pip) to pocket money were “utterly shameful”, and said it was “equally shameful the way this Bill is being dashed through”.
Labour MP Emma Lewell told the Commons the welfare vote today “is a vote to plunge 150,000 into poverty”.
She warned MPs who are considering voting for the bill tonight it will “haunt” them – just as the Tory welfare bill back in 2015 did.
She told MPs: “I am pleading with MPs today, please do not do this. “For those on my own benches, stay loyal to your party today, it may feel good in this place, but once you go home, once you’re in your individual constituency the reality of this will hit, and it will hit very hard.
“Just like in 2015 constituents will never forgive – and it will haunt those MPs who voted for it. I of all people should know.”
Top picture: Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Defence Secretary John Healey at the nuclear submarine base at Faslane on the Gareloch has been asked to choose between welfare or warfare.