Pat McFadden: Welfare reform is essential

ODN

Pat McFadden says welfare reform is "essential to the country" as he reacts to the vote on the bill in the House of Commons on Tuesday. Mr McFadden also says the issue has been "a very difficult process" which has raised "fierce passions in the Labour party".  Report by Kennedyl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn

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00:00It's been a very difficult process over the past couple of weeks.

00:03This issue of welfare reform is essential for the country,

00:06but it arouses fierce passions in the Labour Party and among Labour MPs,

00:11and you could see that in the debate last night.

00:14So we have to take this forward in a different way,

00:17with passing the elements of the Bill on universal credit and employment support

00:22that were passed last night, and with the most contentious part

00:25now being subject to a review led by my ministerial colleague Stephen Timms.

00:30But look, there's a history of these issues being difficult for the Labour Party.

00:34I remember back in 1997, a big revolt against a welfare reform

00:39being put forward by the Prime Minister of the time, Tony Blair.

00:42In fact, I think roughly an identical number of rebels.

00:46So this is difficult.

00:47We've had to take that personal independence payment element out

00:51and make that subject to a review led by my ministerial colleague Stephen Timms.

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