A message from Steve McCabe MP (Lab Selly Oak)

It seems to have become received wisdom in the media on social media within the Labour Party and among our fiercest opponents to try and argue that Labour didn’t oppose the Welfare Bill the other evening. I’m including the text of the Labour amendment just so that people are absolutely clear that we did. It is worth pointing out that the SNP declined to support this amendment. Those who argue that we needed to vote a second time against the Bill are arguing that we should have voted against the measures on apprenticeships which are of course Labour policy.

‘That this House, whilst affirming its belief that there should be controls on and reforms to the overall costs of social security, that reporting obligations on full employment, apprenticeships and troubled families are welcome, and that a benefits cap and loans for mortgage interest support are necessary changes to the welfare system, declines to give a Second Reading to the Welfare Reform and Work Bill because the Bill will prevent the Government from continuing to pursue an ambition to reduce child poverty in both absolute and relative terms, it effectively repeals the Child Poverty Act 2010 which provides important measures and accountability of government policy in relation to child poverty, and it includes a proposal for the work-related activity component of employment and support allowance which is an unfair approach to people who are sick and disabled.’

It is quite understandable that people may wish to argue the detail of the response and that of course will happen in September when the Bill is scrutinised clause by clause at the Committee Stage. For the present those who say Labour didn’t vote against it are either misinformed or seeking to mislead.