Labour Rebels Defy Leadership On Welfare

Ms Harman has insisted her party should not oppose the plans – which cut tax credits, reduce the welfare cap and introduce a “national living wage” – outright because it will not be heard on the issues it has a particular problem with.

According to the BBC, at least one of the leadership candidates, left-winger Jeremy Corbyn, is still intending to vote against the bill.

No member of Labour’s shadow cabinet voted against the bill, said the Independent.

David Blunkett, the former home secretary, said on the Today programme this morning that Labour is in “emotional trauma” and it is a party ‘divided, bewildered what to do next.’ The makeup of the rebels who went against the party whip last night proves his point.

Britain’s opposition Labour Party suffered an embarrassing split yesterday when about a fifth of its lawmakers defied its interim leader’s call not to oppose government plans to cut welfare payments.

The Conservatives won a second reading for their package by 308 votes to 124.

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Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said: “It’s clear that Labour are still the same old anti-worker party – just offering more welfare, more borrowing and more taxes”.

Originally, three out of the four Labour leadership contenders opposed Ms Harman’s position.

Meanwhile, SNP welfare spokeswoman Hannah Bardell described the Bill as “Dickensian”, warning it would hit working families as well as children and vulnerable people.

“Having pointed out what’s wrong with the Bill, it seems to me only logical, if her (Ms Harman’s) motion doesn’t succeed, which it is unlikely to do, that we vote against the Bill in its entirety”, said the MP for Bishop Auckland near Durham.

During a five-hour debate, Labour MP John McDonnell said he would “swim through vomit” to oppose the legislation.

Rather than voting against the bill, Miss Harman wanted her backbenchers to vote for a Labour amendment and to then abstain on the second reading of the welfare.

“It is why I will be voting for our reasoned amendment and, if it is defeated, abstaining on the Bill”.

Ahead of a vote tonight on the measures unveiled in the Budget, the Chancellor said the party had to stop blaming voters for its election defeat and realise the public supported welfare changes. Taking to Twitter afterwards he wrote: “Just voted against the Govt’s Welfare Bill because of the damage to working families on low pay and rise in child poverty it will produce”.

She said: “I anticipated a few aspects of Dickensian tradition, largely framed around the traits and traditions of Westminster”. We’ll have the latest updates as they happen. “Well we’re certainly going backwards”.