Which Yorkshire Labour MPs have threatened to rebel over the welfare cuts?
More than a dozen Yorkshire MPs have signed their names to a Commons bid to halt the Government’s controversial welfare reforms, the biggest rebellion of Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership.
Overall, 108 Labour MPs have signed a reasoned amendment declining to give the welfare reform bill a second reading when it returns to the Commons on July 1.
These include many who were elected for the first time last year, and have never broken the whip before.
The rebellion, the Prime Minister’s largest yet, would be enough to defeat the Government’s plans if opposition MPs joined the Labour rebels.
Worryingly for No10, The Yorkshire Post understands many other MPs across the region are considering rebelling, but have not gone public yet.
This includes junior members of the Government, who believe that backing the welfare bill would scupper their chances of retaining their seats at the next election.
Under the proposals in the bill, ministers will limit eligibility for the personal independence payment (Pip), the main disability payment in England, and limit the sickness-related element of Universal Credit (UC).
Ministers have previously said the reforms could save up to £5 billion a year by 2029-30.
The amendment, published in today’s order paper, notes there is a “need for the reform of the social security system”.
But it calls for the Commons to decline to continue scrutinising the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill “because the Government’s own impact assessment estimates that 250,000 people will be pushed into poverty as a result of these provisions, including 50,000 children”.
There has been no formal consultation with disabled people who will be impacted by the changes, the MPs said.
They also point to the fact that an analysis of the impact of the reforms on employment from the Office for Budget Responsibility will not be published until the autumn.
Several Labour select committee chairs were among those who put their name to the amendment, including chairwoman of the Treasury committee Dame Meg Hillier, and Debbie Abrahams, chairwoman of the work and pensions select committee.
Some 17 Labour MPs from across Yorkshire and the Humber have signed it as well, including former Transport Secretary Louise Haigh.
Shipley MP Anna Dixon, one of the rebels, told The Yorkshire Post that the “key issue” was the lack of consultation on Pip changes.
“I don’t think any of us want to undermine the Government and we haven’t taken this step lightly,” she said.
“But we have wanted to make our objections very clear and give the Government an opportunity to change tack before next week’s vote.”
Scarborough and Whitby MP Alison Hume, who has a disabled son, is also a signatory.
In a statement on Facebook, she said: “Pip is vital for the independence and dignity of disabled people, I’ve seen firsthand how it helped my son.
“The inescapable fact is that disabled people and their families and carers will be disproportionately harmed as a result of these cuts, and I can't square that with my conscience as a Labour MP.”
Calder Valley MP Josh Fenton-Glynn, who also put his name to the amendment, said: “I know making the proposed changes to the welfare system, at a time when so much needs to be done to improve our healthcare system, will simply lead to people being forced into poverty with potentially greater costs to our health and care system as a result.
“I believe there are elements to the government's welfare reform proposals that are genuinely good and progressive … but the changes to the Pip ratings that would mean, at present, that someone who can't put their trousers on, who needs help with showering, and who can’t go to the toilet without supervision, is told that they are capable of work.”
Sir Keir Starmer told his Cabinet “hard, honest choices” are needed to reform the welfare system in a sign he will seek to push ahead with planned cuts amid a brewing backbench rebellion.
The Prime Minister said this morning that the Government must “fix what is broken” in a defiant message to the rebels.
Meanwhile Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, who has already agreed to soften the impact of the welfare Bill to reassure uneasy backbenchers, is “talking to colleagues as to why this reform is so important,” Number 10 said.
Amid the growing threat of rebellion, Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden warned on Tuesday morning it would be a “very serious thing” for Labour MPs to effectively vote down the Bill at its first major outing in the Commons.
He added: “You’re right to point out that this phrase reasoned amendment isn’t just a small tweak. It would stop the legislative process if it succeeded.”
Mr McFadden insisted the growing costs of welfare were unsustainable, as a “city the size of Leicester” was being added to the population on benefits each year.
“I don’t think as the party of labour, the party of work, we can sit back and be relaxed about so many people going on to long-term sickness and disability benefits,” he added.
Which Labour MPs from Yorkshire are threatening to rebel over welfare cuts?
- Lee Pitcher - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme
- Josh Fenton-Glynn - Calder Valley
- Fabian Hamilton - Leeds North East
- Richard Burgon - Leeds East
- Olivia Blake - Sheffield Hallam
- Gill Furniss - Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough
- Melanie Onn - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes
- Andy McDonald - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East
- Louise Haigh - Sheffield Heeley
- Anna Dixon - Shipley
- Abtisam Mohamed - Sheffield Central
- Alison Hume - Scarborough and Whitby
- Rachael Maskell - York Central
- Jon Trickett - Normanton and Hemsworth
- Imran Hussain - Bradford East
- Paul Davies - Colne Valley
- Clive Betts - Sheffield South East