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Labour benefits rebellion gathers pace

Many backbenchers have been highly critical of Labour's decision to press ahead with a policy introduced by the last Conservative government to cut benefits for single mothers.

From next April new claimants will receive less income support and child benefit than existing claimants. In future they will get no more than two-parent families.

Ministers have been strongly criticised for pressing ahead with the cuts at the meeting organised by The Campaign to Defend the Welfare State.

Some 120 Labour MPs, including some ministerial aides, have signed a letter to the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, asking that the cuts should at least be postponed for six months.

Gordon Brown tried to defuse the row by announcing extra measures to get single mothers back to work in his autumn statement last Tuesday. But that has not been enough for the Kingswood MP, Roger Berry, who has been attending the meeting.

"All the proposals that are going to increase opportunities to work and so forth will not impact on those lone parents who are simply not in a position to work," he said.

"These proposals will make those people worse off, and that's of course how these savings are to be made."

Despite suggestions in a newspaper interview with British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, last week that the Government was prepared to reconsider, the Leader of the House of Commons, Ann Taylor, is determined to press on with the cuts.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, she said: "The money for this benefit was not in the DSS budget and the DSS budget is one of those that is under very severe pressure indeed and therefore very difficult decisions had to be made."

"It had to be balanced by other more positive things that could be done for lone parents, such as those that we announced in the Green Budget, and very widely welcomed both in the House and outside."

However, that line of argument is not enough for MPs like Mr Berry. Also speaking on the Today programme, he said: "I simply beg the Government to reconsider."

"How can a Labour Government justify reducing the incomes of lone parents, many of who are already living on less than £100 a week."

Mr Berry backed away from pledging to vote against the cuts if it came to a Commons vote. "I shall oppose this proposal by every means possible but I very much hope it doesn't get to that stage," he said.

Internet Links

Gingerbread - lone parent charity
Department of Social Security

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Summaries

In this section

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Unionists condemn cross-border proposals
Backbench rebellion over benefit cuts
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