Lib Dems standing up for the most vulnerable in society

This week, the Labour Government held a vote on a welfare bill which threatened to cause immense damage to some of the most vulnerable in our society, writes Steve Darling, Lib Dem Welfare and Pensions spokesperson, seen with his guide dog Jennie.

It would have made things harder for unpaid carers, harder for disabled people who rely on support to stay in work, and harder for those whose disabilities mean they may never be able to work.

That’s why the Liberal Democrats voted against the Bill on Tuesday.

Rushed legislation is poor legislation.

It should not have taken a major rebellion for the Government to realise that these cuts would cause immense damage to some of the most vulnerable and risk creating a false economy by actually forcing some people out of work.

To appease their own backbenches, the Government was willing to create a two-tier system, with new Personal Independent Payment (PIP) claimants unable to access the same support as those currently receiving it - only scrapping these plans at the final moment.

PIP allows people to do the simple activities we all take for granted and stay in work. Cutting it will push more people into poverty and out of employment.

Liberal Democrats will continue to oppose any system where some disabled people are more equal than others.

It’s clear that the welfare bill is too high, but if the Government was serious about cutting welfare spending it would get serious about fixing health and social care, to tackle chronic ill-health at its root.

Carers have been ignored by the Government throughout this whole debacle. Their voices must now be heard loud and clear. Ministers must ensure that this review listens carefully to both carers’ charities to understand the impact these changes will have, on family carers.

The scale of this week’s rebellion shows that the Government is just not listening, and not delivering on the change that people are crying out for.

It is time for the Government to take their fingers out of their ears and realise it is time to change course. They must scrap this flawed legislation, go back to the drawing board, and work cross-party to fairly reduce the need for high welfare spending, by getting more people into work and fixing our broken health and care systems.

And when it comes to balancing the books, rather than cutting support for disabled people, ministers should be asking the social media giants, the big banks and the big online gambling companies to pay their fair share of tax.