A senior Labour MP has renewed efforts to urge Keir Starmer to implement a wealth tax instead of cutting welfare support as the government is facing a mass rebellion ahead of next week’s crucial vote, The London Economic can reveal.
Richard Burgon has hit out at the PM for “trying to balance the books on the backs of disabled people” and has warned fellow MPs that the cuts are “morally unjustifiable”.
Instead, the MP for Leeds East and former shadow minister has told the government to implement a “2 per cent tax on assets above £10 million that would raise £24 billion”.
It comes as over 100 Labour MPs signed an amendment that declines to pass the PM’s welfare changes and calls for a pause, including for further consultation into the policy and for support to be in place before any changes.
It has the support of former cabinet minister Louise Haigh and Vicky Foxcroft, who quit as a Labour whip last week, alongside backbench MPs like Connor Naismith and Neil Duncan-Jordan, both elected in July.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has also backed it, arguing the changes will “destroy the financial safety net” for millions of people.
Talking to The London Economic, Richard Burgon said: “No Labour government should try to balance the books on the backs of disabled people. Any MP who votes for these cuts is voting to take PIP from disabled people who need assistance to wash and dress themselves, cut up their own food and go to the toilet.
“Rather than these morally unjustifiable cuts to disabled support, a real Labour thing to do would be to tax wealth instead. A 2 per cent tax on assets above £10 million would raise £24 billion – many times more than the government is trying to save by taking money from disabled people. I’ll be presenting my petition to Parliament before the vote on the disability benefit cuts bill as part of the campaign to get as many MPs as possible to vote down these cruel cuts.”
At a parliamentary Labour Party meeting, DWP boss Liz Kendall urged MPs to support the government.
“The path to a fairer society – one where everyone thrives, where people who can work get the support they need, and where we protect those who cannot – that is the path we seek to build with our reforms,” she said. “Our plans are rooted in fairness, for those who need support and for taxpayers.