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Daily Record
09-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Four Scottish Labour MPs rebel as benefit cuts bill passes in House of Commons
Irene Campbell, Tracy Gilbert, Brian Leishman and Euan Stainbank voted against slashing welfare for future out-of-work claimants. Four Scottish Labour MPs rebelled as the UK Government's benefit cuts passed in the House of Commons. Irene Campbell, Tracy Gilbert, Brian Leishman and Euan Stainbank voted against slashing welfare for future out-of-work claimants. But MPs voted for the cut by 336 votes to 242. Campbell, Gilbert, Leishman and Stainbank had all voted against the bill during the second reading last week. But a bigger rebellion had been staved off then after government U-turns. As part of the Bill, the basic universal credit standard allowance will rise at least in line with inflation until 2029/30. But the Government has proposed freezing the 'limited capability for work' (LCW) part of the benefit until 2030, which a group of 37 Labour rebels opposed in a vote. The move was ultimately approved by 335 votes to 135, majority 200. New claimants who sign up for the 'limited capability for work and work-related activity' payment would receive a lower rate than existing claimants after April 2026, unless they meet a set of severe conditions criteria or are terminally ill, which the same rebels also opposed. Labour MP for Dunfermline and Dollar Graeme Downie also secured a commitment that people with Parkinson's, MS and similar conditions, will not be prevented from applying for additional support through the health component of Universal Credit. 'If you can work, you should,' social security minister Sir Stephen Timms told MPs before they voted on the welfare reforms. 'If you need help into work, the Government should provide it, and those who can't work must be able to live with dignity. 'Those are the principles underpinning what we're doing.' SNP Work and Pensions spokesperson Kirsty Blackman said: "It is shameful that Labour Party MPs have voted to take thousands of pounds of vital support away from sick and disabled people across Scotland and the UK. "Keir Stamer's disability cuts bill creates an unfair two-tier system of disability support, which will punish the young and newly disabled and leave them thousands of pounds worse off a year compared to people with the same conditions and needs. "It makes no sense and it is yet another betrayal of the promises the Labour Party made at the election. Voters were promised change - not more Westminster austerity cuts targeted at the sick and disabled. "Anas Sarwar promised that Scottish Labour MPs would stand up to Starmer - but instead they have rolled over again and chosen to take money away from Scottish families. "The Labour Party is failing some of the most vulnerable groups in society with its austerity cuts - whether to pensioners who lost their winter fuel payments, children living in poverty as a result of the two child benefit cap, and now sick and disabled people too. "The SNP will continue to oppose these Labour Party cuts, demand action to support disabled people and tackle the soaring levels of poverty in the UK on Keir Starmer's watch."
The Herald Scotland
07-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Starmer retreats on key element of PIP reform legislation
The Bill passed its second reading by 335 votes to 260, with Labour's majority of 165 slashed to just 75 - the biggest rebellion of Sir Keir's time in office. Scottish Labour MPs Irene Campbell, Tracy Gilbert, Brian Leishman, Euan Stainbank were among the 49 backbench rebels who voted against the legislation. The four also backed an unsuccessful amendment to halt the legislation. READ MORE The decision to effectively scrap the central element of the legislation that ministers have spent weeks defending as necessary came after Labour whips realised defeat was possible. Details of the eleventh-hour concessions were announced in the Commons just 90 minutes before MPs were due to vote. It was the second u-turn on the welfare reforms in a matter of days. Last week, 126 Labour MPs backed an amendment that would have effectively derailed the Bill. No 10 saw that off by promising to apply the new stricter regime for PIP only to new claimants from November 2026. However, that promise — made last Thursday — led to confusion and claims of a two-tier system, where the level of benefit changed depending on someone's date of birth. The latest concession abandons that plan entirely. The Government will now wait for the conclusions of a review into how people are assessed for PIP, led by Sir Stephen Timms, the Minister for Social Security and Disability. That review will be "co-produced" with disabled people. Currently, the assessment judges an applicant's level of illness or disability by 'scoring' them on their ability to perform certain tasks. The higher the total score, the more disabled they are considered to be — which affects whether they receive a payment and, if so, at what level. Under the Government's initial proposals, new applicants would have had to score four points in one category, as well as reaching eight points across all categories. Previously, they needed to score two points in each of four categories. There were fears this would mean, for example, that people unable to wash or dress below the waist could lose their benefits. Sir Stephen told MPs: 'We have heard those concerns, and that is why I can announce that we are going to remove the clause five from the bill at committee, that we will move straight to the wider review, sometimes referred to as the Timms review, and only make changes to PIP eligibility activities and descriptors following that review. 'The Government is committed to concluding the review by the autumn of next year.' Rebel ringleader Rachael Maskell said the Bill was now 'a complete farce'. The chaos in the Commons comes just days before the first anniversary of Labour's victory in last year's general election. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall insisted the party was '100%' behind the Prime Minister, but acknowledged there were 'lessons to be learned' after the rebellion. 'Welfare reform is always really difficult, perhaps especially for Labour governments. 'It's something we care passionately about.' But she added that MPs had shown significant support for 'the principle of the welfare state' that those who can work should do so, while those who were unable should be protected. SNP Westminster Leader, Stephen Flynn said Labour owed an apology to disabled people. "Their daily lives have been subjected to a cruel Westminster political game. "The final u-turn they deserve tonight is an apology from the Prime Minister and for this shambolic bill to be scrapped. "The only option left for the Labour Party is to stop their attack on disabled people, remove the threat of a two-tier disability system and for them to finally scrap this bill." Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused the Government of 'utter capitulation'. She said: 'They should bin it, do their homework, and come back with something serious. Starmer cannot govern.' The legislation was unveiled by Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall as part of a package aimed at saving up to £4.8 billion a year. This was reduced to £2.3bn when the Bill was first watered down last week. It is not yet clear what difference the latest changes will make, but the proposed tightening of eligibility was the main cost-saving measure in the package. The IFS suggested removing Clause 5 could make no savings and even cost £100 million. PIP has mostly been devolved to the Scottish Government, which began replacing it with Adult Disability Payment (ADP) in 2022. While the SNP had ruled out copying the reforms, any change in PIP spending would have had an impact on the block grant. READ MORE Charlotte Gill, head of campaigns and public affairs at the MS Society, said the changes did not go far enough: 'We thought last week's so-called concessions were last minute. But these panicked 11th hour changes still don't fix a rushed, poorly thought-out Bill.' Jon Sparkes, chief executive of learning disability charity Mencap, welcomed the concession: 'The last-minute change relating to the review Sir Stephen Timms is leading sounds positive and we are pleased that the Government has listened.' He added: 'Disabled people should not have to pay to fix black holes in the public finances.'
The Herald Scotland
01-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
How Scottish MPs voted on Labour's welfare reform bill
It now moves to committee stage, where MPs will scrutinise and amend the legislation line by line. Scottish Labour MPs Irene Campbell, Tracy Gilbert, Brian Leishman, Euan Stainbank were among the 49 backbench rebels who voted against the legislation. Here is the full list of how Scottish MPs voted. Voted in favour Douglas Alexander (Labour) Zubir Ahmed, Dr (Labour) Richard Baker (Labour) Johanna Baxter (Labour) Torcuil Crichton (Labour) Scott Arthur, Dr (Labour) Gordon McKee (Labour) Martin McCluskey (Labour) Kirsty McNeill (Labour) Katrina Murray (Labour) Chris Kane (Labour) Lillian Jones (Labour) Chris Murray (Labour) Gregor Poynton (Labour) Patricia Ferguson (Labour) Frank McNally (Labour) Melanie Ward (Labour) Pamela Nash (Labour) Chris Murray (Labour) Elaine Stewart (Labour) Michael Shanks (Labour) Kenneth Stevenson (Labour) Graham Downie (Labour) Susan Murray (Labour) Joani Reid (Labour) Alan Gemmell (Labour) John Grady (Labour) Kirsteen Sullivan (Labour) Alison Taylor (Labour) Ian Murray (Labour) Martin Rhodes (Labour) Imogen Walker (Labour) Voted against Andrew Bowie (Conservative) Irene Campbell (Labour) Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat) John Cooper (Conservative) Harriet Cross (Conservative) Dave Doogan (SNP) Stephen Flynn (SNP) Tracy Gilbert (Labour) Stephen Gethins (SNP) Maureen Burke (Labour) John Lamont (Conservative) Chris Law (SNP) Brian Leishman (SNP) Seamus Logan (SNP) Angus MacDonald (SNP) David Mundell (Conservative) Brendan O'Hara (SNP) Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat) Euan Stainbank (Labour) Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat) Pete Wishart (SNP) Graham Leadbitter (SNP) Kirsty Blackman (SNP) Did not vote
The National
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Dozens of Labour MPs 'could lose seats' in Waspi backlash, data says
The data from the Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) group shows more then 300 MPs across the UK have majorities smaller than the number of WASPI women living in their are, with many of those seats won by Labour for the first time in over a decade last year. The group says around 20 Labour MPs are in "extremely vulnerable positions" given there are at least 5000 more Waspi women in their constituencies than the size of their majority. Meanwhile, 133 MPs sitting on the Labour benches have a difference of at least 1000. The Scottish MPs deemed to be "at risk" according to the data include Elaine Stewart, Irene Campbell, Chris Murray, John Grady, Zubir Ahmed and Martin Rhodes. READ MORE: BBC Debate Night audience brands Kneecap row a 'distraction' The parliamentary ombudsman recommended in March last year that women born in the 1950s affected by increases to the state pension age be handed compensation of between £1000 and £2950 per person. The Labour Government offered Waspi women an apology, but opted not to hand out any compensation arguing it would be too much of a burden on the taxpayer – behaviour which was subsequently described as 'extremely unusual' by the ombudsman. The ombudsman highlighted a 99.9% compliance rate for its recommendations and warned the watchdog would become a 'toothless tiger if Parliament steps away from supporting us when there isn't compliance". So far, nearly 50 Labour MPs have publicly hit out at the UK Government's decision not to compensate Waspi women. (Image: Andy Buchanan/PA Wire) Angela Madden, Waspi chair, said of the data: "These results are a seismic blow for ministers and make grim reading for anyone who thinks they can take the votes of an entire generation of women for granted. 'The failure of Labour to compensate Waspi women – and indeed some opposition parties in properly challenging their decision – undermines the public's confidence in our institutions and creates a significant electoral risk. 'With women affected by DWP failures now forced to haul the Government before the High Court, ministers must stop defending the indefensible – we need justice now.' Last month, Waspi campaigners confirmed they had filed for a High Court judicial review following the Government's decision. The 1995 Pensions Act and subsequent legislation raised the state pension age for women born on or after April 6 1950. The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) investigated complaints that, since 1995, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) failed to provide accurate, adequate and timely information about areas of state pension reform. The DWP's handling of the pension age changes meant some women lost opportunities to make informed decisions about their finances. It diminished their sense of personal autonomy and financial control, the ombudsman said.
