UK welfare cuts: The 9 Scottish Labour MPs set to rebel against Sir Keir Starmer's government
The cuts to disability payments by Sir Keir Starmer’s government are estimated to push 250,000 people into relative poverty.
Nine Scottish Labour MPs are to join a rebel plan to block the UK government’s cuts to disability benefits.
Some 108 MPs’ signatures appear on a reasoned amendment declining to give the welfare reform Bill a second reading when it returns to the Commons on July 1.
The MPs who are signatories are supporting the efforts to block the proposed changes to the welfare system, which includes cutting disability and sickness benefits to save £5 billion a year by 2030.
They have all signed an amendment that says the Bill should be rejected because of the number of people it will push into relative poverty, the lack of consultation, and an inadequate impact assessment on the consequences for the job market and people’s health.
The rebellion, the Prime Minister’s largest yet, would be enough to defeat the government’s plans if opposition MPs joined the Labour rebels.
Who is against the Bill?
Amongst the rebel group are 13 committee chairs, the former transport secretary, Labour’s former chief whip and nine Scottish Labour MPs, including:
- Dr Scott Arthur (Edinburgh South West);
- Richard Baker (Glenrothes and Mid Fife);
- Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow West);
- Tracy Gilbert (Edinburgh North and Leith);
- Lillian Jones (Kilmarnock and Loudon);
- Brian Leishman (Alloa and Grangemouth);
- Euan Stainbank (Falkirk);
- Elaine Stewart (Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock);
- Kirsteen Sullivan (Bathgate and Linlithgow).
How could the amendment succeed?
Their amendment is known as a reasoned amendment, which is a parliamentary mechanism allowing MPs to record their reasons for objecting to a Bill. If this reasoned amendment is selected by Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle and a majority of MPs vote in favour of it, the Bill would not be allowed to progress through Parliament.
The government has a working majority of 165 in the House of Commons. This means 83 Labour MPs are needed to oppose the Bill to force a parliamentary defeat.
What is the UK government’s official position?
Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden said ministers were “happy to talk” to the MPs who had signed this amendment, but he defended the government bill as “a really important package of benefit reform”.
If the Bill passes, it will make it harder for disabled people to claim personal independence payments. This payment is devolved in Scotland as the adult disability payment, but any cuts at UK level would affect how much cash the Scottish Government gets to pay this benefit north of the Border.
The UK government’s own impact assessment predicts the Bill will push 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, into relative poverty. The Department of Work and Pensions says it expects 3.2 million families to lose out financially by an average of £1,720 a year.
What impact will the benefits Bill have?
Around 370,000 people who receive disability benefits will no longer qualify, and 430,000 will get less than they were previously entitled to.
Labour ministers say the government will still be spending £1bn on helping long-term sick and disabled people back into work, as 2.8 million people are economically inactive due to long-term sickness. They say the benefits Bill will hit an “unsustainable” £70bn a year by the end of the decade if nothing changes.
The SNP’s view
The SNP is also calling on the Prime Minister to completely withdraw the proposals.
Party Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said: “It’s now abundantly clear the Prime Minister has underestimated the huge scale of opposition to his grotesque Labour Party cuts to disabled people, which by their own estimates will push 250,000 children and disabled families into poverty, and will stain the Labour Party’s reputation even worse than their winter fuel payment cuts.
“The fact that dozens of senior Labour MPs, including select committee chairs, are joining with the SNP to vote against these cuts should embarrass the Scottish Labour Party.
“[Scottish Labour leader] Anas Sarwar has shown how weak he is by failing to oppose Keir Starmer’s disability cuts.
“Time and again, he has shown he is incapable of standing up for Scotland - and will always roll over and do Keir Starmer’s bidding no matter the damage to families in Scotland.”
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