Welfare Bill

The MP I was referring to was Alex Sobel, whom I believe is your local MP too.

 

Yes he is. Decent MP overall. I've met him a few times. Big music fan too.

 

Me too. He runs Woodhouse Moor parkrun fairly frequently too, so I often get to have a quick chat with him at the finish.

 

I will keep voting for him. I've largely been massively disappointed with the Starmer government thus far, although not everything. The disability bill particularly. It will be shocking if it goes through with Tory support, which it might well need. My girlfriend is severely disabled and is in financial trouble already. I vote Green at the locals and they won in my ward, Headingley. I could the seat going Green at the next election, if national policies don't prove more progressive. It obviously switched from Lib Dem in 2015. They won't get in again, neither will the Tories, or Reform, as they have zero support round here. I spoke to Alex's office a couple of months ago about the Disability Bill and got proper replies and I've seen him on social media expressing concerns. Starmer is not listening.

 

Strong hints that concessions will be made before Tuesday. Douglas Alexander indicated several times this morning there would be "conversations".

 

I'm not sure that concessions will cut it.

The one I've seen suggested today is changing the PIP points scoring criteria from the current proposal of 4 to 3, which would make a minimal difference in terms of numbers impacted.

The fundamental flaw with the bill is that it contains all of the pain, but none of the measures to protect those impacted, which would be legislated separately. MPs are being asked to vote on trust that the protective measures being touted by ministerial voices will actually be put in place once they already taken the step to make the cuts and adversely impact thousands of vulnerable people.

It's as un-Labour a piece of legislation as I can imagine and they need to be u-turned on this by whatever means. Watered down versions of the same thing will not suffice.

 

It's a poor position to have got into for sure, especially when most of the players agree there is a need for reform. I think when someone as experienced and respected as meg Hillier expresses concern, notice has to be taken. It will be interesting to watch the political wranglings between now and Tuesday. Closer attention to the domestic agenda is urgently required, both ahead of Tuesday, and in advance of the run-up to the October budget. But I doubt world affairs will be stood still, either.

 

This ruthless pursuit of disabled people has damaged Labour – no matter what happens next | Frances Ryan https://www.theguardian.com/comment...our-party-disabled-people-mps-disability-cuts

 

The trouble is, even the signatories to the amendment agree that some reform is necessary.

 

Deary me. If this Bill was a dog they'd have it put down.

 

I've not really followed the welfare bill thing that closely. What are the main points in it?