Andy Burnham has called on Labour MPs to vote down the government’s welfare reforms as Sir Keir Starmer attempts to stave off a backbench rebellion.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester said the prime minister said the changes to the welfare system will create “unfairness and divide” amongst disabled people.
He also said the prime minister had only performed a “half U-turn” which did not go far enough. Mr Burnham’s comments will be seen as a direct challenge to the PM and an indication of his possible future leadership ambitions.
Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall confirmed a number of concessions to the government’s welfare cuts on Monday in an effort to head off a major rebellion by Labour backbenchers, including protecting people who claim personal independence payments (Pip) from new eligibility criteria.
The U-turn means those currently in receipt of PIP and Universal Credit will not be affected by proposed cuts, but those claiming in the future will receive less money.
However, speaking at an event at Glastonbury festival, Mr Burnham said: “What’s been announced is half a U-turn, a 50% U-turn. In my view, I’d still hope MPs vote against the whole bill when it comes before parliament.”
He said Labour MPs “face the prospect, if they accept this package, someone could come to their surgery in two years saying ‘why did you vote to make me £6,000 worse off than someone exactly the same, but who was protected because they were an existing claimant’?”
The Manchester mayor added: “I hope they think carefully before the vote, because the vote will create that unfairness and divide in disabled people.”
His intervention comes as ministers hope the concessions will be enough to avert defeat when MPs vote on the reforms on Tuesday, although Downing Street remains braced for a substantial revolt.
A “reasoned amendment” proposed by senior Labour backbencher Dame Meg Hillier had received support from 126 Labour MPs, enough to overturn Sir Keir’s majority.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch also confirmed that her party would vote against the government’s proposals, saying they were “not serious welfare reform”.
On Monday, modelling from the Department for Work and Pensions suggested the government’s proposals would push 150,000 more people into poverty by 2030.
Ms Kendall also told the Commons on Monday that the U-turn on welfare cuts will cost taxpayers around £2.5 billion by 2030.
Other senior Labour figures outside Parliament, including London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, have publicly expressed their dismay at the reforms.
Sir Sadiq said the watered-down welfare Bill will drive people into poverty and remove safety nets.
“I’ve met too many Londoners who have dignity, who do work, who through no fault of their own, need support from the state, and they’re really worried they’ll lose that,” he said.
The London mayor added the government’s concessions had not yet gone “far enough” to address concerns among MPs opposing the Bill.
The U-turn will also cause problems for chancellor Rachel Reeves, who will now have to find a way to cover the shortfall between the amount the Government had expected to save, and the new, lower figure.
