Charities slam Tories for forcing through disability benefit cuts despite House of Lords defeat

MPs voted 306-279 to cut Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) by £30 a week - ignoring peers and a Tory backbencher

Charities slammed the Tories tonight for surging ahead with disability benefit cuts despite a major defeat in the House of Lords.

MPs have renewed plans to cut Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) by £30 a week - ignoring a desperate protest from a Tory backbencher who declared: "This is my warning shot to government".

Heidi Allen's speech made an 11th-hour plea for her own party to find "the compassion to look after the little man".
She added: "Today I will not support [the government]. Today I may abstain, but only for today."

But her plea fell on deaf ears as a motion to challenge the House of Lords, which struck down the cuts last month, was passed by 306 votes to 279.

MPs also voted 310-277 against a Lords decision to reverse the scrapping of child poverty targets - which are being replaced by "shameful" measures that don't count parents' income.

Both plans will return to the House of Lords next Monday amid fears the government could use financial rules to railroad them through with consent.

Dr Fran Woodard, policy director at cancer care charity Macmillan, said: "We are deeply disappointed that the government has not listened to the wide range of voices, including those from their own party, who have expressed major concerns.



"These cuts will have a damaging impact on people affected by cancer and other health conditions.



"Every penny counts when someone can’t work because of cancer, and taking away vital financial support can be a serious blow to people when they are at their most vulnerable.



"The Government must urgently reconsider their decision; if they press ahead, the planned changes could seriously hinder the full recovery of people with cancer."


Much more at:  http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/charities-slam-tories-forcing-through-7426545


The depths of the Tory depravity knows no bounds.  To hit the sick and disabled, mentally and physically, while they give tax breaks to millionaires is unspeakable!

I'm not going to knock the Government for going against the House of Lords. They did that re the Hunting Bill as well.

Er - what about all the sick and disabled who are going to be so much worse off?

sassy wrote:Er - what about all the sick and disabled who are going to be so much worse off?

I haven't got that far yet - I just wanted to comment on the issue of the House of Lords. If people agree with the Government, they get outraged if the House of Lords blocks something, and if they don't agree with the Government, they get outraged when it ignores the House of Lords.