New Labour MP Marie Tidball electrified the Commons this afternoon as she openly cried while delivering a power speech slamming the Government’s proposed welfare cuts. Ms Tidball, who was born with a congenital disability affecting all four limbs, got highly emotional as she explained she’d entered politics in the first place to stand up for her community.
She teared up as she told the Commons: “In March 2020 when the Conservative government looked like an outlier in appearing to pursue a strategy centring on herd immunity, I felt raw hot fear thinking of my toddler and what might happen if I caught Coronavirus meant I sobbed deeply. After 10 years of austerity I knew then that disabled people would pay an enormous price, and they did. Almost 60% of Covid-related deaths [hit] disabled people in that first wave. I vowed then I would do all I could to create a country that treats disabled people with dignity and respect.” She spoke as “one of the only visible physically disabled members of parliament.”
Ms Tidball cited Labour’s manifesto from just one year ago, promising to champion the rights of disabled people and working with the community to ensure their voices were at the heart of all decisions.
However she condemned the Government’s planned welfare cuts, saying that with a “heavy, broken heart” that she will be voting against the Bill today.
The Government remains in panic mode this afternoon as whips cannot guarantee the changes will pass, even after huge concessions from the PM last week.
York MP Rachel Maskell is leading a major rebellion attempting to wreck the Bill altogether and go back to square one, while Welfare Secretary Liz Kendall appears on course to offer even more last-minute u-turns to salvage Rachel Reeves’ savings.
Ms Tidball, who represents Penistone and Stockbridge, said: “As a matter of conscience, I need my constituents to know I cannot support the proposed changes to PIP as currently drafted.
“PIP is an in-work benefit designed to ensure that disabled people can live independently.”
She echoed fury from other senior Labour MPs, including the chairman of the Work and Pensions Select Committee Debbie Abrahams who branded the Bill a “dog’s breakfast”.
Debbie Abrahams said: “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 to enable it to be scored for the budget.”
Rachel Maskell, who is leading the rebellion, branded the planned cuts “Dickensian”.
She warned: “These Dickensian cuts belong to a different era and a different party.
“They are far from what this Labour party is for – a party to protect the poor, as is my purpose for I am my brother’s keeper, these are my constituents, my neighbours, my community, my responsibility, and I cannot cross by on the other side for one, let alone for the 150,000 who will be pushed further into poverty.”
At least 39 Labour MPs have signed her amendment so far, with the vote set to take place around 7.30pm on Tuesday.