THE Commons descended into “chaos” just before a major vote on benefits cuts as Keir Starmer performed a screeching U-turn by shelving the most controversial measures.
MPs welcomed the Government’s climbdown but were left furious at the eleventh-hour concession to shelve cuts to Personal Independence Payments pending the completion of a review.
Social Security Minister Stephen Timms took the unusual step of confirming the U-turn, which had been leaked to the media, around an hour and a half before MPs were due to vote.
By gutting the bill, ministers were able to see off a significant rebellion by voting down a wrecking amendment by 328 votes to 149.
Four Scottish Labour MPs joined the rebellion: Euan Stainbank, Brian Leishman, Tracy Gilbert and Irene Campbell.
Speaking after the votes, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall insisted that the Labour Party was "100%" behind Starmer but said there were "lessons to be learned".
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn (below) said: “From start to finish, Labour’s disability cuts bill has been a shambles – and it defines their chaotic first year in office.
"The cause of that chaos, and the blame for it, falls directly at the doors of Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves.
"Tonight, the Labour Party owe an apology to disabled people – their daily lives have been subjected to a cruel Westminster political game."
Timms noted that a number of MPs had raised concerns during the debate that Pip changes were scheduled to come in before his review, to be carried out with disability charities and due to report in next autumn, had concluded.
He said: “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.”
It means that the most controversial changes – which would make it much tougher to qualify for the main disability benefit, Pip – have been put on ice.
While the move was welcomed by Labour rebels, they continued to express exasperation with the Government.
Lead rebel Rachael Maskell, who revived the revolt by tabling a second wrecking amendment after the initial one was withdrawn following a partial climbdown, said: “The whole bill is now unravelling and is a complete farce.”
Labour’s Imran Hussain (above) launched a blistering attack on the front bench, saying: “What is disrespectful and continues to be disrespectful to backbenchers in particular and members on this side, is the way we are piecemeal fed things. Even at this late stage, whilst I welcome the previous concessions and I welcome the concession today, but the reality is this; for months we have been talking about this. Months.
“We could have been engaged in that process, and we approached it in good faith, and again it makes a further mockery of a process that will result in hundreds of thousands of people being pushed into poverty.”
The Bradford East MP added: “The timescale that we have been given already lacks respect that this democratic House should be afforded. But now, this piecemeal of information we are being leaked, frankly we are being asked to rely on the goodwill of ministers.”
Labour MP Ian Lavery, the MP for Liverpool West Derby, said the bill was a “shambles”, adding: “It’s being rewritten on the fly. Policies affecting millions and millions of disabled lives are being made up as we go within this chamber within the last couple of hours.
“We’re being asked to vote on the bill as legislators, without full impact assessments, without proper scrutiny, without even knowing what the final version will be.”
Scottish Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: "Despite the panicked, last-minute concessions they have made, if the UK Government presses ahead with cuts to disability support they will plunge more people into poverty. That is unconscionable.
“Their approach also risks creating a deeply unfair two-tier system, pushing the impact of cuts onto future applicants for disability benefits."
MPs backed the bill by 335 votes to 260.
