THE LABOUR Party leadership will ‘never be forgiven’ if it goes ahead with its benefit cuts plans next Tuesday, the Fire Brigades Union leader Steve Wright has warned.
A split in the Labour Party is now rapidly developing, with yesterday’s Daily Telegraph reporting that Tory leader Kemi Badenoch is prepared to instruct her party to back Starmer’s bill if he commits to reducing the overall welfare bill.
The parliamentary rebellion against Starmer’s £5 billion cuts from the Welfare budget plans grew yesterday, with more than 130 current and former Labour MPs signing an amendment opposing them.
Cabinet ministers were ringing round Labour MPs on Tuesday night, calling on them to remove their names from the amendment, but only one, Samantha Niblett, was reported to have taken her name off the list.
Meanwhile, Starmer vowed to ‘press ahead’ with the cuts and Parliament is due to vote on the bill next Tuesday.
FBU leader Wright said: ‘It’s outrageous that the government is ploughing on regardless with welfare cuts in the face of such huge opposition among Labour MPs and the party as a whole.
‘It’s possible that Keir Starmer will be dependent on the Commons votes of Tory MPs to pass this new wave of austerity for the most vulnerable.
‘That’s a shameful thing for any Labour Prime Minister to do.
‘There’s still time to abandon these cuts, which will plunge tens of thousands of working class people into poverty. The Labour movement has made it clear that Keir Starmer and Liz Kendall must change course.
‘A tax on wealth and profits is urgently needed to fund public services and pay workers properly.
‘But if the Prime Minister insists on pressing on with this assault on the welfare state, the FBU demands that every Labour MP vote against the government in next week’s vote.
‘The Labour leadership will never be forgiven by unions, party members, and many of its own MPs for inflicting these cuts on the working class.’
Labour-affiliated rail union TSSA issued a call to the government to ‘pause and reconsider’ as the government’s own official estimates show that the measures will push 250,000 people (including 50,000) children into poverty.
TSSA General Secretary, Maryam Eslamdoust said: ‘It’s vital that Ministers pause and reconsider what they are trying to achieve with these welfare cuts which will only hurt those most in need across our society.
‘TSSA strongly opposes the government’s plans on welfare and Personal Independence Payments (PIP). PIP is a lifeline, helping disabled people manage the extra costs of long-term health conditions, and remain in work.
‘Removing this support undermines efforts to grow the economy by taking away key incentives that keep disabled people employed. These cuts are not only unjust they are economically short-sighted.
‘Many MPs are clearly doing the right thing by challenging such injurious plans – they have listened to the many voices of disabled groups and charities who are concerned, as are we.
‘Pushing hundreds of thousands more into poverty is deeply dangerous after the long years of Tory austerity and a pandemic. Ministers must wake up to that reality now.’
