Labour rebel explains welfare bill backlash as Keir Starmer desperately bids to stave off revolt

GB News

Labour MP Melanie Onn says there is a concern among fellow rebels that decisions are being taken "before we actually know the reality of the impact".Onn is among over 120 Labour MPs questioning the party's welfare bill.The Prime Minister is said to be considering major concessions to get them onside as he grapples with a potential leadership crisis.

Transcript

00:00It's really left people feeling like decisions are being made before we actually know the reality of the impact.

00:08And we've heard a little bit about some of the impact, you know, the poverty figures.

00:13But there is also something a bit more granular.

00:16You know, if the Secretary of State, who I think is absolutely well-meaning, you know, has got lots of great things within the bill.

00:25If she says that she doesn't want to create panic amongst people who have got disabilities and long-term conditions,

00:31then pushing this bit forward before we've actually got the outcome of assessment and contemplation.

00:36Which is you in the office, apparently.

00:38Yeah.

00:38That will push about the saving for £5 billion for another year.

00:42And you need to save money, don't you?

00:44I understand.

00:45It is a challenge, which is precisely why me and so many of my colleagues were raising this months ago when it was first mooted.

00:52And that's absolutely, you know, we took the right course of action to say we think that there is a problem here.

00:59There's been early day motions, which are a political device to put things on the public record.

01:05Yeah, yeah.

01:06And we've also had private letters going into the chief whip.

01:10Other letters have gone into 10 Downing Street and so on.

01:13And we have had continuous dialogue, but nothing really seems to have changed.

Category

Transcript

Recommended