Angela Rayner, standing in for Keir Starmer at PMQs, was challenged by Tory SIr Mel Stride about the Government’s welfare headache after Kemi Badenoch offered a poisoned lifeline
PMQs: Mel Stride grills Rayner on welfare reforms
Angela Rayner has defended Labour’s controversial welfare shake-up amid a backbench rebellion crisis.
The Deputy Prime Minister, standing in for Keir Starmer for the second week in a row, said a vote on controversial welfare cuts will go ahead next Tuesday. The Government is under pressure to pull a controversial Bill limiting access to personal independent payments (PIP) and health-related parts of Universal Credit.
So far 123 Labour MPs have supported an amendment that could scupper the legislation. Defending the measures under questioning from Tory Sir Mel Stride, Ms Rayner said a vote on the measures “will go ahead” next Tuesday.
She said: “I told the Right honourable member why we are pressing ahead with our reforms, and that is because we’re investing £1 billion into tailored employment support.
“We want to try to help more people back into work and ending reassessments for the most severely disabled who will never be able to work. Mr Speaker, we will not walk away and stand by and abandon millions of people trapped in the failing system left behind by him and his colleagues.”
Sir Mel. stepping in for Kemi Badenoch – who has rotated her deputies – told the Commons: “It is a pleasure to stand opposite (Ms Rayner), despite what many may think, we have a great deal in common, not least that we both viscerally disagree with the Chancellor’s tax policies. And it is great to see (Ms Rayner) standing in temporarily for the Prime Minister for the second week running, although I know there are many sitting behind her who wish this was a permanent arrangement.
“Indeed, you will find many of their names amongst the 122 who have signed up to oppose the Government’s welfare Bill. They say that the Bill is dangerously rushed and ill thought through. So can (Ms Rayner) explain why she thinks that she is right, and 122 of her own colleagues are wrong?”
The Deputy Prime Minister said it was “nice to face the latest wannabe”, adding: “I’ll tell (Sir Mel) why we’re pressing ahead with our reforms, and that is because we’re investing a billion pounds into tailored employment support, a right to try to help more people back into work, and ending reassessments for the most severely disabled who will never be able to work.
“We won’t walk away and stand by and abandon millions of people trapped in the failing system left behind by him and his colleagues.”
The Government is facing a headache over a huge backbench rebellion over its controversial welfare reforms. A massive 123 Labour MPs have signed an amendment calling for a rethink – enough to torpedo the legislation.
It has sparked speculation a vote next Tuesday may be pulled. Ms Badenoch offered the PM a poisoned lifeline by saying the Tories would be prepared to support the Bill if Mr Starmer commits to driving down welfare costs and not raising taxes.
Earlier Mr Starmer definantly vowed a vote on the welfare reforms would go ahead. The Prime Minister told LBC: “There’ll be a vote on Tuesday, we’re going to make sure we reform the welfare system.”
Arguing his party was elected “to change that which is broken”, he said the welfare system “doesn’t work for anyone”. He added: “It traps people in a position where they can’t get into work. In fact, it’s counterproductive, it works against them getting into work.
“So we have to reform it, and that is a Labour argument, it’s a progressive argument.”