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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
National
Hamish Morrison

Anas Sarwar 'totally humiliated' by Labour's dramatic benefit cuts U-turn

ANAS Sarwar has been left “totally humiliated” after backing Labour’s planned welfare cuts only for the UK Government to perform a dramatic U-turn at the eleventh hour.

The Scottish Labour leader defended cuts for disability benefits in the run-up to Tuesday’s chaotic debate on the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments Bill.

He was quoted as saying he was “on the same wavelength” as the UK Government on toughening up rules for new Personal Independence Payments (PIP) claimants to qualify for the benefit.

Sarwar said: “We all accept the principle of reform.”

But the Government scrapped its most controversial reforms in the middle of the debate, sparking incredulity from furious backbenchers, 49 of whom went on to vote against the bill.

Social Security Minister Stephen Timms (below) took the unusual step of announcing major changes from the despatch box around an hour and a half before MPs were due to vote.

(Image: UK Parliament)

He told the Commons that the controversial changes to PIP eligibility, which would make it so that people had to score at least four points on at least one measure of disability to qualify, would be shelved until he completed a review of the policy alongside charities.

The Timms review is expected to report next autumn.

Blyth and Ashington MP Ian Lavery tore into the Government in an impassioned speech, saying: “This is crazy, man. This is outrageous, man. This bill isn't fit for purpose.”

He noted that if the pages relating to PIP were taken out of the bill, it would be left at just two pages.

Pete Wishart (below), the deputy leader of the SNP in Westminster, told The National that Sarwar “must be feeling totally humiliated this morning”.

(Image: PA)

He said: “After yesterday's humiliating and chaotic scenes at Westminster one person who stands out as one of the most humbled and compromised is Anas Sarwar.

“He backed these appalling benefit cuts from the very beginning and even when the whole enterprise started to collapse around him he was still trying to defend the indefensible.

“Even when his Labour colleagues were seeking concession after concession he was sticking to the original script of all of this being necessary. Anas must be feeling totally humiliated this morning and this shows that Scotland's disabled community will never be able to trust Scottish Labour again.”

Scottish Labour were approached for comment.

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