Angela Rayner has confirmed controversial cuts to benefits will be voted on next week despite the growing backlash from Labour MPs.
Rumours are rife in Westminster that the proposed welfare reforms bill could be pulled by the government after some 120 Labour MPs said they would back an amendment that threatens the cuts.
But the deputy prime minister insisted that the vote on changes to Personal Independence Payments (Pip) and Universal Credit “will go ahead” next Tuesday, saying the government would not “abandon millions of people trapped in the failing system”.
Sir Keir Starmer is risking a major Commons defeat as he refused to change his welfare plans despite the looming Labour rebellion.
Shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride challenged Ms Rayner on the cuts at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.
He said: “It is great to see (Ms Rayner) standing in temporarily for the Prime Minister for the second week running, although I know there are many sitting behind her who wish this was a permanent arrangement.
"Indeed, you will find many of their names amongst the 122 who have signed up to oppose the Government's welfare Bill.
“They say that the Bill is dangerously rushed and ill thought through. So can (Ms Rayner) explain why she thinks that she is right, and 122 of her own colleagues are wrong?"
The Deputy Prime Minister replied: "I'll tell (Sir Mel) why we're pressing ahead with our reforms, and that is because we're investing a billion pounds into tailored employment support, a right to try to help more people back into work, and ending reassessments for the most severely disabled who will never be able to work.
"We won't walk away and stand by and abandon millions of people trapped in the failing system left behind by him and his colleagues."
Sir Mel accused the deputy PM of sidestepping his question, but Ms Rayner hit back: “I don't know if he listened to what I said, because he was reading off the script, but what I can tell him - and I don't need a script - we will go ahead on Tuesday.”
Ms Rayner deputised for Sir Keir while the Prime Minister attends the Nato summit in The Hague. Sir Mel stood in for Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch.
Sir Sadiq Khan is the latest senior Labour politician to join the growing revolt against the Government’s proposed welfare reforms.
The Mayor of London said on Tuesday: “I have always said that more must be done to support people to go from relying on benefits to getting back into work. It’s vital for a healthy and prosperous London.”
However, he added: “What we can’t do is take away the vital safety net that so many vulnerable and disabled Londoners rely upon.
“Having looked at the analysis of the Government’s plans, the impact on London will be substantial, and for too many disabled Londoners it will destroy their financial safety net.”
City Hall analysis has shown that Londoners will lose £820 million as a result of the proposed changes to Pip and Universal Credit, with 360,000 mostly poor, vulnerable and disabled Londoners facing a reduction in their incomes.
The Prime Minister insisted there was a “moral case” for the reforms which have sparked anger and disquiet among Labour backbenchers and ministers.
In an intervention on Tuesday evening Tory leader Kemi Badenoch offered to save the Prime Minister’s reforms in the face of the rebellion as she offered to lend support from Conservative MPs to his Welfare Bill to get it through Parliament, a move that would outrage Labour MPs.
