A rebel MP appealed to Sir Keir Starmer to engage with her in an interview after being suspended from Labour. Rachael Maskell, who spearheaded plans to halt the Government’s welfare reforms, is one of four Labour backbenchers who have lost the whip.
In an emotional Sky News interview, the York Central MP said she felt she had to speak out on benefit cuts due to fears people would die as a result of the plans. She said: “When the evidence was so strong that people would die as a result of these changes, having money taken away from them, people we know have serious mental health challenges.
“We’ve got to protect those people in our society, I believe that. So I could not have on my conscience something where we know that people would take their own lives.
“I spoke to my constituents and I met many disabled people who basically said their dignity was being taken from them, their ability to provide was being taken.
“Of course I’m going to speak up for those people who are voiceless if I did not so that’s why I make the statements that I do and really hold by that.”
Ms Maskell insisted she does not view herself as a rebel but “somebody that is prepared to fulfil my role here of holding the executive to account and speaking truth to power”.
The MP, who previously spoke out against the controversial winter fuel payment axe, went on: “I’m somebody who is a bridge builder in life and really reaches into a situation.
“And I hold my hand out to the Prime Minister and hope he takes that and wants to reach back because I think it’s really important we work together, that’s where the Labour Party came from.
“But obviously choices have been made today, I’m not going to comment on that, but what I am saying is there is a special purpose to the Labour Party and that is to speak for those people in our society who have felt so disenfranchised because of 14 years of having broken public services, an economy in tatters, and people are paying heavily for that.
“Of course I want to see Labour succeed, I fought so hard all my life for this party and that will continue because I believe Labour has got the ability and opportunity to really transform people’s lives.
“It’s right that we get people into work, I want to see that happen, but I want to protect and look after people when they’re at their most fragile.”
In a direct message to the PM and others in the party, she added: “I’m here and I’m really willing to engage with them because I want us to get this right, I want this to be the greatest government that has ever been.
“That is my ambition every day because my constituents deserve a really good outcome from this government.”
Ms Maskell has lost the whip alongside Neil Duncan-Jordan, Brian Leishman and Chris Hinchliff.