“The support shows both the anger there is across the movement at Keir Starmer’s anti-democratic move – and the support there is for the principled stance taken by the 7 MPs.”
By Matt Willgress, Labour Outlook
On Tuesday, it was reported that Keir Starmer had been warned by the Resolution Foundation that the “two-child benefit cap is cementing regional poverty,” with the North-West and West Midlands worst hit.
Just one day before, a grassroots petition calling on Keir Starmer to restore the Parliamentary Labour Party whip to seven MPs suspended for voting to scrap the two-child benefit cap has gained over 10,000 supporters, and continues to grow with over 11,000 signatories at the time of publishing.
Welcoming the petition this level of support, former MP Mick Whitley said, “Child poverty is a scourge. After years of Tory austerity a new Labour government should be tackling this head on by scrapping the vicious two child benefit cap. Instead Starmer and his “Iron Chancellor” Reeves have kept the cap in place and suspended seven Labour MPs who voted to abolish it. This is a betrayal of the principles that Labour stands for. It would have been eight suspensions if I had still been an MP. Starmer has opted for intolerance of dissent but tolerance of a policy that is a two child poverty trap.”
He added, “Scrap the cap, restore the whip to the seven and tax the rich instead of cutting pensioners’ benefits.”
He was joined by TSSA General Secretary Maryam Eslamdoust who said, “The support shown for this petition shows the strength of feeling across the Labour and trade union movement that the 7 MPs should have the whip restored.”
Adding another trade union voice in support of the Seven MPs and the campaign, FBU Assistant General Secretary Ben Selby said, “The FBU is deeply concerned at the decision of the Labour Party leadership to withdraw whip from those seven MPs for voting to abolish the two child befit cap. A pernicious cap that would lift 360,000 children out of poverty.
He added, “We welcome that more than 10,000 people have signed the petition that calls on the Labour party leadership to immediately restore the whip and for the punitive cap abolished as soon as possible.
He concluded, “We send our solidarity to all seven MPs including the FBU Parliamentary Group Chair Zarah Sultana MP (Coventry South). We are glad that you all put child poverty before a macho virility test, child poverty is a political choice and the money is there to lift this cap tomorrow. You have all long stood with firefighters and we will always stand with you.”
Gawain Little, GFTU General Secretary also gave his support, saying “The task of lifting children out of poverty is one that cannot wait. The evidence is clear that scrapping the two child benefit cap is a key measure and would lift 300,000 children out of poverty. All MPs should stand by their principles and support the lifting of the cap.”
Labour NEC member Jess Barnard urged people to keep campaigning to scrap the cap, saying “The 2-child benefit cap is a cruel, inhumane policy that should be scrapped and put in the dustbin of history. It should be scrapped immediately – and the 7 MPs who voted for it to be scrapped, reinstated.
Speaking on behalf of the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy (CLPD,) former Labour NEC member Rachel Garnham said, “The decision to remove the whip from 7 MPs for taking a stand against child poverty is outrageous. These MPs are more in touch with Labour values and represent the views of grassroots members and trade unionists, as this important petition shows. Not only must they be reinstated, but listened to and the two-child benefit cap removed.”
Ruth Hayes of the Labour Women Leading Group added, “Labour Women Leading fights for the reversal of the appalling impact of austerity on women and on our communities.
We know that when children are living in poverty, the people who care for them are too.
There is widespread support across charities, campaign groups and the public for the scrapping of the 2 child benefit cap. The Labour Party must take urgent action to tackle child poverty, boost local economies and improve women’s economic independence.
The Party should not be sidelining this debate by removing the Whip from MPs – it’s time to welcome them back to the Parliamentary Party and it’s great to see so many people calling for this.
Now more than ever, we have to be united to build a better society – let’s join together and take real action against poverty by removing the 2 child limit and delivering the economic security we all need.”
The petition was initiated by the Labour Assembly Against Austerity and ‘Arise – a Festival of Left Ideas.’ Commenting on behalf of the two organisations, a spokesperson said “These seven MPs voted to support a simple measure that would immediately lift 300,00 children out of poverty – and would be a real start to undoing the cost-of-living emergency caused by 14 years of inhumane Tory cuts.”
He added, “The growing support for the petition shows both the anger there is across the movement at Keir Starmer’s anti-democratic move – and the support there is for the principled stance taken by the 7 MPs to fight child poverty. Now we need to build this campaign everywhere, including by reaching 15,000 supporters as soon as possible, and gaining support for a model motion that will be launched before the September wave of labour movement meetings.”
- The petition to Sir Keir reads as follows, “We oppose your decision to suspend 7 MPs from the Labour Whip for voting for scrapping the two-child benefit cap – a move which would immediately lift 300,000 children out of poverty. This shameful decision must be reversed.” The petition can be viewed and signed here.
- The 7 MPs it is supporting are John McDonnell, Rebecca Long Bailey, Zarah Sultana, Richard Burgon, Apsana Begum, Ian Byrne and Imran Hussain.
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