An embattled Sir Keir Starmer vowed to press ahead with welfare changes despite the threat of a massive rebellion in Labour ranks which could humiliate the Government and leave his plans in tatters. The planned restrictions to benefits will have a “catastrophic” impact on the lives of disabled people, the charity Scope has warned.
But the Prime Minister insisted there is a “clear moral case” for change – claiming the present welfare system “traps” people. MPs are due to vote on Tuesday on proposals to cut disability and sickness-related benefits payments in a bid to save around £5billion a year by 2030. More than 100 Labour MPs have signed an amendment which could derail the Government’s plans.
James Taylor of the disability equality charity Scope told the Express the Government should “go back to the drawing board”.
He said: “We back all MPs and officials who oppose the government’s planned changes to the benefits system. Huge numbers of disabled people have spoken out against these cuts and backed our campaign.
“The Government should go back to the drawing board. Over 800,000 will lose at least some financial support from PIP. It will have a catastrophic effect on disabled people’s health, ability to live independently or work.
“At no point have disabled people been consulted on these changes. Life costs more if you are disabled, whether or not you are working. The Government must change course.”
When the Prime Minister was asked if he will consider pausing the planned changes, he said the Government will “press forward with our reforms”.
And when asked if he had failed to make the moral case for cuts, he said: “There is a clear moral case, which is the current system doesn’t help those who want to get into work. It traps people.”
The Labour leader claimed the number of people starting to get Personal Independence Payments each year is “the equivalent of the population of a city the size of Leicester”.
He said: “That is 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.”
Sir Keir was asked if he would be happy to rely on Conservative votes to pass his welfare changes.
He said: “I have no idea what the Conservatives will do. I don’t think they’ve got the first idea what they’re doing. So I intend to press ahead as a Labour government with our reforms.”
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn condemned Sir Keir’s plans.
Mr Corbyn told the Express: “This Bill is a cruel and disgraceful attack on the rights of disabled people to live in dignity. It won’t ‘get people into work’.
“It will simply make the lives of people with disabilities harder, whether they are in work or not. It’s time they listened to the millions of people demanding they scrap this awful piece of legislation, start repairing the welfare system the Tories decimated with years of cuts, and lift children and the elderly out of poverty.”
The “reasoned amendment” signed by scores of Labour MPs warns the Government’s own impact assessment on the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill “estimates that 250,000 people will be pushed into poverty as a result of these provisions, including 50,000 children”.
Labour signatories include Dame Meg Hillier, chairwoman of the Treasury committee, and Debbie Abrahams, who chairs the Work and Pensions select committee.