Liberal Democrat deputy leader Simon Hughes has warned that the government’s proposed welfare benefits cap will “break up families” and “damage the lives of literally hundreds of thousands of children.”
Mr Hughes, who is not a minister and therefore not part of the coalition government, made his comments to the BBC ahead of more crucial votes in the House of Lords this week, as the Welfare Reform Bill (WRB) goes through its report stage before returning to the Commons.
On 17 January Peers are due to vote on proposals to cap the amount of benefits any family can receive at £26,000 per year. Last week, cuts that would hit the sick, the vulnerable, the disabled and terminally-ill were defeated in the Lords by three Crossbench (independent) amendments.
Lord Freud, the government minister responsible for the passage of the WRB in the Lords has been roundly criticised for trying to get the will of the House overturned by introducing a procedural amendment when most Peers had left the Chamber.
With vigorous opposition from disability campaigners, charities, civic groups, churches, medical practitioners, the TUC, public figures and parliamentarians growing, Mr Hughes told the BBC that he did not believe the Welfare Reform Bill would be passed as it stands.
The ‘Spartacus Report’, produced by sick and disabled people themselves, has created enormous political waves over the government’s mishandling of its consultation over Disability Living Allowance (DLA), which comes back for discussion this week.
Ministers say their legislation would increase incentives for people on benefits to work while protecting the most vulnerable and saving up to £18 billion. Critics say that it will hit the sickest worst, and dispute the government’s economic calculations.
More at:
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16078
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* The report on DLA changes written by disabled people themselves, ‘Responsible Reform’ is being made available online at Ekklesia and elsewhere. See: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/responsiblereformDLA
An easy-read version has been made available by United Response: http://bit.ly/xy0elw
* Mr Grayling, is the Welfare Reform Bill really affordable?, by Savi Hensman – http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16054
* Please wear the Spartacus twibbon: http://twibbon.com/join/spartacusreport
* More on the Spartacus campaign: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/spartacusreport