TOI World Desk
Seven Labour MPs have been suspended from the parliamentary party for six months after voting against the government on an amendment to scrap the two-child benefit cap. This policy prevents almost all parents from claiming Universal Credit or child tax credit for more than two children.
Ex-shadow chancellor John McDonnell was among the MPs who supported the SNP motion calling for an end to the controversial policy.He was joined by Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Imran Hussain, Apsana Begum, and Zarah Sultana. The amendment was ultimately rejected by 363 votes to 103, presenting the first major test of the new Labour government’s authority.
Losing the whip means these MPs are now suspended from the parliamentary party and will sit as independents. Many of the rebels are allies of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who also put his name to the SNP motion.
In a statement on social media, Ms Sultana said she would “always stand up for the most vulnerable in our society,” adding that scrapping the cap would “lift 33,000 children out of poverty.”
Mr Burgon expressed his disappointment over the suspension, explaining that “many struggling families” in his Leeds East constituency had raised concerns about the cap with him.
Ms Begum stated she voted against the cap because it had “contributed to rising and deepening levels of child poverty and food insecurity for many East End families.” Similarly, Mr Byrne highlighted that the “best way” to help his Liverpool West Derby constituents living in poverty was to scrap the cap.
Before the vote, Mr McDonnell said: “I don’t like voting for other parties’ amendments, but I’m following Keir Starmer‘s example as he said put country before party.”
The decision to suspend the MPs is seen as an early show of force from the new government, signalling that dissent will not be tolerated. This move is expected to send a message to other MPs about the importance of party unity in votes.
Despite the suspension, many Labour MPs remain opposed to the two-child benefit cap. There is hope within the party that a decision to scrap the policy will be made in the coming months. A government source noted that Labour’s policy on the cap was clear going into the election, and they are not prepared to make “unfunded promises” by abolishing it.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer previously acknowledged the “passion” of Labour MPs on this issue but stated there was “no silver bullet” to end child poverty. The rebellion has increased pressure on the government to address the cap, with prominent figures such as Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham backing calls for its removal.
Mr Burnham told BBC Newsnight: “The evidence is plain that it really does cause harm,” while also calling for party unity and suggesting the government should have “time and space” to develop a plan to reduce poverty. He noted the government had inherited a “terrible economic inheritance.”
Kim Johnson and Rosie Duffield were among 19 Labour MPs who signed another amendment calling for an end to the cap, which was ultimately not put to a vote. Several critics of the cap, including Ian Lavery and Nadia Whittome, abstained from the vote.
Labour veteran Dianne Abbott did not participate in the vote due to “personal reasons,” but in a statement, she expressed horror that MPs had been suspended “when removing the cap is supposed to be party policy.”
Emma Lewell-Buck, Labour MP for South Shields, explained that she did not vote against the government because “none of the votes taking place tonight would have resulted in scrapping the cap.” She added that she and other colleagues would work constructively with the government to make scrapping the cap part of the Autumn Budget.
Despite the rebellion, Sir Keir successfully passed the King’s Speech, marking the first major test of his government. Labour also defeated a Conservative attempt to insert an amendment promoting Tory policies on defence spending, illegal migration, and cutting inflation by 384 votes to 117. Additionally, a Lib Dem-tabled amendment focusing on health and social care crises, sewage dumping, and electoral reform was defeated by 382 votes to 85.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall stated the government could not tackle the “dire inheritance” from the Conservatives overnight but was “determined to make a huge difference” on childhood hardship. The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimated that removing the cap would cost the government £3.4 billion a year.
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn described removing the cap as the “bare minimum required to tackle child poverty” and begin delivering promised changes.
Ex-shadow chancellor John McDonnell was among the MPs who supported the SNP motion calling for an end to the controversial policy.He was joined by Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Imran Hussain, Apsana Begum, and Zarah Sultana. The amendment was ultimately rejected by 363 votes to 103, presenting the first major test of the new Labour government’s authority.
Losing the whip means these MPs are now suspended from the parliamentary party and will sit as independents. Many of the rebels are allies of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who also put his name to the SNP motion.
In a statement on social media, Ms Sultana said she would “always stand up for the most vulnerable in our society,” adding that scrapping the cap would “lift 33,000 children out of poverty.”
Mr Burgon expressed his disappointment over the suspension, explaining that “many struggling families” in his Leeds East constituency had raised concerns about the cap with him.
Ms Begum stated she voted against the cap because it had “contributed to rising and deepening levels of child poverty and food insecurity for many East End families.” Similarly, Mr Byrne highlighted that the “best way” to help his Liverpool West Derby constituents living in poverty was to scrap the cap.
Before the vote, Mr McDonnell said: “I don’t like voting for other parties’ amendments, but I’m following Keir Starmer‘s example as he said put country before party.”
The decision to suspend the MPs is seen as an early show of force from the new government, signalling that dissent will not be tolerated. This move is expected to send a message to other MPs about the importance of party unity in votes.
Despite the suspension, many Labour MPs remain opposed to the two-child benefit cap. There is hope within the party that a decision to scrap the policy will be made in the coming months. A government source noted that Labour’s policy on the cap was clear going into the election, and they are not prepared to make “unfunded promises” by abolishing it.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer previously acknowledged the “passion” of Labour MPs on this issue but stated there was “no silver bullet” to end child poverty. The rebellion has increased pressure on the government to address the cap, with prominent figures such as Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham backing calls for its removal.
Mr Burnham told BBC Newsnight: “The evidence is plain that it really does cause harm,” while also calling for party unity and suggesting the government should have “time and space” to develop a plan to reduce poverty. He noted the government had inherited a “terrible economic inheritance.”
Kim Johnson and Rosie Duffield were among 19 Labour MPs who signed another amendment calling for an end to the cap, which was ultimately not put to a vote. Several critics of the cap, including Ian Lavery and Nadia Whittome, abstained from the vote.
Labour veteran Dianne Abbott did not participate in the vote due to “personal reasons,” but in a statement, she expressed horror that MPs had been suspended “when removing the cap is supposed to be party policy.”
Emma Lewell-Buck, Labour MP for South Shields, explained that she did not vote against the government because “none of the votes taking place tonight would have resulted in scrapping the cap.” She added that she and other colleagues would work constructively with the government to make scrapping the cap part of the Autumn Budget.
Despite the rebellion, Sir Keir successfully passed the King’s Speech, marking the first major test of his government. Labour also defeated a Conservative attempt to insert an amendment promoting Tory policies on defence spending, illegal migration, and cutting inflation by 384 votes to 117. Additionally, a Lib Dem-tabled amendment focusing on health and social care crises, sewage dumping, and electoral reform was defeated by 382 votes to 85.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall stated the government could not tackle the “dire inheritance” from the Conservatives overnight but was “determined to make a huge difference” on childhood hardship. The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimated that removing the cap would cost the government £3.4 billion a year.
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn described removing the cap as the “bare minimum required to tackle child poverty” and begin delivering promised changes.