Keir Starmer has suffered a blow as one of his frontbench team resigned over his plans to reduce benefits, saying she could not back cuts that will hit disabled people.
Vicky Foxcroft dramatically quit as a government whip and called on the prime minister to “support more disabled people into work” instead.
In a letter to the prime minister, she said she could not vote for reforms that “include cuts to disabled people's finances”.
She said she understood “the need to address the ever-increasing welfare bill in these difficult economic times”, but she added: “I have always believed this could and should be done by supporting more disabled people into work.
“I do not believe that cuts to personal independence payment (PIP) and the health element of Universal Credit should be part of the solution.”
She said: “With a heavy heart, I have written to the prime minister to tender my resignation as a whip. Whilst I will continue to support the government in delivering the change the country so desperately needs, I cannot vote in favour of the proposed reforms to disability benefits.”
Her letter went on: “I have wrestled with whether I should resign or remain in the government and fight for change from within. Sadly it is now seems that we are not going to get the changes I desperately wanted to see.
“I therefore tender my resignation as I know I will not be able to do the job that is required of me and whip – or indeed vote – for reforms which include cuts to disabled people’s finances.”
Ms Foxcroft said it had been an honour to serve in the government.
“I am incredibly proud to have served as part of the first Labour government in 14 years and hope that ministers will revisit these reforms so that I can continue to support the government in delivering for the people of this country,” she wrote.
The prime minister has faced a backlash from some Labour MPs over proposals to reform the welfare system, expected to save up to £5 billion a year.
Party whips warned backbenchers they would be ruled out of government jobs and could lose the Labour whip if they rejected the plans.
Legislation introduced into Parliament on Wednesday includes a tightening of the criteria for PIP, the main disability payment in England.
Ministers also want to cut the sickness-related element of Universal Credit and delay access to it, so only those aged 22 and over can claim it.
The package of reforms is aimed at encouraging more people off sickness benefits and into work, but dozens of Labour rebels said last month that the proposals were “impossible to support”.
Sir Keir is bracing himself for the biggest rebellion of his leadership when MPs vote on the changes. Around 50 Labour MPs are believed to be planning to vote against the government, with many more set to abstain.
Some MPs and campaigners have claimed the cuts will be “horrendous”, “harmful” and “a disaster”, and will drive already struggling disabled people into poverty.
But in an attempt to head off some opposition, the legislation – known as the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill – will give claimants a 13-week period of financial support.
The government said around 3.9 million households not on the health element are expected to have an average annual gain of £265 from the increase in the standard Universal Credit allowance.
Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall said the bill "marks the moment we take the road of compassion, opportunity and dignity".
Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who lost the Labour whip last year, wrote on social media: “Vicky Foxcroft worked really hard as the shadow minister for the disabled and as a result will have a thorough understanding of the implications of the benefit cuts on disabled people. I fully respect her for the decision she has taken.”
Labour backbencher Connor Naismith wrote: “Huge respect for Vicky. This must have been an incredibly difficult decision but she should be commended for standing by her principles. I agree with her that reducing the welfare bill is the right ambition, but cuts to UC and PIP should not be part of the solution.”
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