A defiant Sir Keir Starmer has insisted he is not facing a confidence vote next week as Labour MPs prepare to rebel over welfare cuts. Some 108 backbenchers have signed an amendment that would halt the Government’s proposed changes – enough to threaten the Prime Minister’s majority.
But Sir Keir said on Tuesday he would “press on” despite the prospect of a major revolt when the welfare Bill comes before the Commons in a vote set for July 1. Meanwhile, Kemi Badenoch said the Tories would lend the Government votes but only if Labour rules out tax rises in the autumn budget as well as reducing unemployment and lowering the welfare budget.
Speaking in the Hague, where he is attending the Nato summit with toher world leaders, Sir Keir told reporters there was a “clear moral case” for reforming the system. “It’s not a confidence vote. It’s a vote about reforming our welfare system,” he told Sky News.
“It isn’t working. It doesn’t help people into work. Quite the contrary, it actually makes it harder for people to go into work. I think most colleagues do accept the case for reform, we’ve got to get on and make that reform.” The amendment was published on Tuesday’s order paper and calls for a pause allowing for further scrutiny of the Bill and for support to be in place before any further cuts are made.
The size of the revolt is enough to defeat the Government’s plans if opposition MPs sided with rebels. Tory leader Mrs Badenoch said her party would offer support for the Bill but on the condition that the Government agree to take steps that “align with our core Conservative principles”.
She claimed the welfare budget would need to be slashed further, unemployment would need to come down and “no new tax rises in the autumn”. Asked whether he would consider pausing his plans in light of the rebellion, the Prime Minister told reporters travelling with him to the Netherlands: “We were elected to change what is broken in our country.
“The welfare system is broken and that’s why we will press ahead with our reforms.” Sir Keir said: “The additions to Pip each year are the equivalent of the population of a city the size of Leicester.
“That’s not a system that can be left unreformed, not least because it’s unsustainable and therefore you won’t have a welfare system for those that need it in the future.” The Prime Minister earlier told his Cabinet “we will reform welfare” because the Government must take “hard, honest choices,” according to Downing Street, which declined to say whether any minister had expressed concern over the Bill.
The Cabinet “collectively” supports the Government’s agenda, a Number 10 spokesman said. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, who has already taken steps to soften the impact of the welfare Bill, is locked in talks with backbenchers as she seeks to win over those opposed to the plans.
Several Labour select committee chairs were among those who put their name to the amendment, including Treasury committee chairwoman Dame Meg Hillier and work and pensions committee chairwoman Debbie Abrahams. Vicky Foxcroft, the former Government whip who resigned over the welfare plans, has also signed, while Labour London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan added pressure by coming out against the plans on Tuesday afternoon.
The mayor said: “Having looked at the analysis of the Government’s plans, the impact on London will be substantial, and for too many disabled Londoners it will destroy their financial safety net. The Government must urgently think again.”
Under the proposals in the Bill, eligibility for the personal independence payment (Pip), the main disability payment in England, will be limited along with the sickness-related element of universal credit (UC). However, the legislation published last week will give existing claimants a 13-week phase-out period of financial support, in what was seen as a bid to head off opposition.
Ministers have previously said the reforms could save up to £5 billion-a-year. Downing Street declined to explicitly rule out offering further concessions when asked on Tuesday what would be done to reassure uneasy backbenchers before a vote scheduled for next week.
“We’ll talk to them over the next week but the Government believes this is a good package of reforms,” a Number 10 spokesman said. “We hope that colleagues will engage positively over the next few days.”
Number 10 said the Government recognised the “strength of feeling” surrounding the issue but rejected suggestions the plans were “dead on arrival”. It refused to say whether it was confident that the Bill would make its way through Parliament when asked by reporters on Tuesday.
“We are focused on delivering last week’s Bill and engaging, talking to colleagues … as to why this reform is so important,” the spokesman said.
Looking for more from MyLondon? Subscribe to our daily newsletters here for the latest and greatest updates from across London.
