A motion urging the government to abandon its planned cut in universal credit has been passed by MPs in the House of Commons today.
The non-binding motion which stated: “This House believes that the government should stop the planned cut in universal credit and working tax credit in April and give certainty today to the six million families it is worth an extra £1,000 a year.” was passed by 278-0.
Opening the debate Jonathan Reynolds, Labour’s shadow work and pensions secretary said: “I am not here today to claim that Conservative MPs are heartless or lack compassion, or somehow they have insufficient regard for the poorest people in this country.
“I want to say if the Government is seriously thinking about economic recovery, cutting Universal Credit is like pulling the rug from under the economy’s feet.
“This £20 a week, it is not a saving for families, it is spent – it is spent in shops and businesses around the country, stimulating the economy.
“Too often this Prime Minister seems unwilling to abide by democratic norms and to accept proper scrutiny and accountability, and we’ve seen in the US where that can end.”
Despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordering his MPs to abstain on the vote it is understood eight went against his wishes and voted in favour of the motion.
Any decision on whether to cancel the current increase in the weekly benefit is not expected to be announced until the budget however it is widely reported that the chancellor Rishi Sunak is looking at making a one-off payment to claimants instead of making the weekly uplift permanent.
