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Labour suspends MPs who defied Government in two-child benefit cap vote

24 Jul 2024 3 minute read
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaks during an interview at the Senedd, in Cardiff, Wales, during his tour of the UK following Labour’s victory in the 2024 General Election. Photo credit: Alastair Grant/PA Wire

Sir Keir Starmer has stripped seven MPs of the Labour whip after they rebelled against the Government by backing a motion to scrap the two-child benefit cap.

Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, ex-business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey, Apsana Begum, Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne, Imran Hussain and Zarah Sultana have been suspended from the parliamentary party.

Nation.Cymru understands the decision will be reviewed in six months’ time.

Rebellion

The Prime Minister saw off his first Commons rebellion on Tuesday, with the Government comfortably defeating an SNP-led amendment to scrap the cap.

Mr McDonnell had said before the vote: “I don’t like voting for other parties’ amendments, but I’m following Keir Starmer’s example as he said put country before party.”

In a post afterwards on X, formerly Twitter, Ms Sultana said: “I have been informed by the Chief Whip & the Labour Party leadership that the whip has been withdrawn from me for voting to scrap the two-child benefit cap, which would lift 330,000 children out of poverty.

“I will always stand up for the most vulnerable in our society.”

Mr Burgon said he was “disappointed” by the decision to suspend him for his vote.

“As an MP in an area where 45% of children live in poverty, one of the highest in the country, I simply believe that this strategy must include scrapping this measure. That’s something that many struggling families in my area have raised with me,” the Leeds East MP said.

Ahead of the vote, Sir Keir had said there is “no silver bullet” to end child poverty but acknowledged the “passion” of MPs who were considering opposing the continuation of the Tory measure.

The decision to remove the whip from those who rebelled is an early show of discipline from the new administration and signals that dissent in votes will not be taken lightly.

More than 40 Labour MPs recorded no vote, with some of those listed spotted in the chamber throughout the day, while others will have had permission to miss the vote.

Other backbenchers have opposed the cap including Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield, who said she could not attend Parliament because she had Covid.

Liverpool Riverside MP Kim Johnson said she had voted with the Government “for unity” but warned the strength of opposition among many in the party is “undeniable”.

“We moved the dial, the campaign will continue,” she said.

The House of Commons voted 363 to 103, majority 260, to reject the amendment tabled in the name of SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn.

The cap, introduced in 2015 by then-Conservative chancellor George Osborne, restricts child welfare payments to the first two children born to most families.

Mr Flynn said Labour had “failed its first major test in Government” by choosing not to “deliver meaningful change from years of Tory misrule.”

“This is now the Labour government’s two-child cap – and it must take ownership of the damage it is causing, including the appalling levels of poverty in the UK,” he said.


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Why vote
Why vote
4 months ago

Now it starts, do as you are told or else, welcome to the labour party.

onedragonontheshirt
onedragonontheshirt
4 months ago

These seven should join Corbyn and form the Real Labour Party.

Dr John Ball
Dr John Ball
4 months ago

Meanwhile, across the road the MOD is busy shining up its plans for the four new nuclear submarines Starmer promised during the election…

Dr John Ball
Dr John Ball
4 months ago

Those who jumped up and down after the election celebrating the Labour victory might care to comment?

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
4 months ago

This is a man, a former “human rights lawyer” , who interviewed on radio supported Israel shutting off power, food , water and aid to 2.1 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which is a warcrime. He benefitted as 16 year old from subsidised private school education thanks to a charitable bursary which meant his parents paid nothing. This ivy league education enabled him to go to university , again subsidized, where he angered the left of his party by stating he’d not , and I quote” Labour are likely to move on from its previous policy of scrapping fees”… Read more »

Jeff
Jeff
4 months ago

Tory party found out what it was like when it was controlled by the back benchers.

Interesting to see that he is maintaining control, we found out what happened when Corbyn ran the party, he lost to Johnson (like losing to Micky Mouse but worse). Lets hope the plan to lift people out of poverty work.

Tory vote completely missing on this, either way.

Johnny Gamble
Johnny Gamble
4 months ago
Reply to  Jeff

Actually Jeremy Corbyn in 2017 got 40% of the popular vote compared to Starmers 35% on the lowest GE turnout in living memory.
I agree about the loss to Boris in 2019 as this was a single issue GE over Brexit hence the Red Wall seats,whereas Corbyns downfall was that he just sat on the fence over Brexit.
How ironic that Labour Party Membership has nosedived under Starmer.

Howie
Howie
4 months ago

I take it the Swansea MP Bell did not rebel considering his diatribe against the cap when he was head of Resolution Foundation, did his moral fibre desert him?

robin campbell
robin campbell
4 months ago
Reply to  Howie

Yes, Nation Cymru can you tell us how all the ‘socialist’ Welsh Labour MPs voted please?

Jeff
Jeff
4 months ago
Reply to  robin campbell
Howie
Howie
4 months ago
Reply to  robin campbell

2 did not have a vote recorded, Kinnock and Griffiths, the rest where noes.
Starmer, Reeves and a number of senior Labour MP’s had no vote recorded as well.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
4 months ago

Clark of Kent…

exits the phone box as…

Von Starmer: you will obey, obey, obey….

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