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108 Labour rebels sign amendment to kill PIP cuts bill

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108 Labour rebels have signed an amendment to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill which, if it secured a majority, would kill the bill.

The amendment was published on the Parliament website this morning.  It declines to give a second reading to the PIP cuts bill, giving a devastating set of reasons for this, including:

  • its provisions have not been subject to a formal consultation with disabled people, or co-produced with them, or their carers;
  • because the Office for Budget Responsibility is not due to publish its analysis of the employment impact of these reforms until the autumn of 2025;
  • because the majority of the additional employment support funding will not be in place until the end of the decade;
  • because the Government’s own impact assessment estimates that 250,000 people will be pushed into poverty as a result of these provisions, including 50,000 children;
  • because the Government has not published an assessment of the impact of these reforms on health or care needs.

The amendment is signed by at least 11 Commons committee chairs, including:

  • Dame Meg Hillier. Treasury select committee
  • Debbie Abrahams. Work and Pensions select committee
  • Helen Hayes. Education select committee
  • Sarah Owen. Women and Equalities select committee
  • Florence Eshalomi. Housing, Communities and Local Government committee
  • Paulette Hamilton. Health and Social Care select committee
  • Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi. Defence select committee
  • Cat Smith Procedure committee
  • Ruth Cadbury. Transport select committee
  • Patricia Ferguson. Scottish Affairs committee
  • Ruth Jones. Welsh Affairs select committee

The amendment would need to be selected by the Speaker in order for it to be voted on.  If it was passed it would mean no vote would take place on the bill itself and it could not proceed further.

But, even if it is not selected, it gives a clear indication of the minimum number of Labour MPs considering voting against the government bill.  A minimum of 83 Labour MPs would need to vote against the bill for it to fail, but only if every opposition MP joined them.

However, according to the BBC, the Conservatives have now indicated that they are yet to decide whether to support the bill, with Kemi Badenoch saying she did not want to alert Labour to her plans before the bill was voted on.

This raises the possibility that the Labour leadership could get the bill through by relying on Conservative votes.  Whether ministers would be prepared to risk the fracturing of the party such a move would cause is another matter.  

There has not yet been any reaction to the amendment from the Labour leadership, but this is unquestionably a massive blow to their plans to cut benefits and suggests that their attempts to bully MPs to vote for the Green Paper reforms have backfired spectacularly.  With so many committee chairs signing the amendment, and the probability that non-cabinet ministers are waiting in the wings to resign if necessary, disciplining the rebels seems to be out of the question.

Full alphabetical list of Labour MPs who have signed the amendment

If your MP is on the list below, you might want to send them an email thanking them for their support.  And if they aren't on the list, perhaps drop them an email and ask them to consider signing, for all the reasons listed in the amendment.

Abbott, Ms Diane

Abrahams, Debbie

Al-Hassan, Sadik

Allin-Khan, Dr Rosena

Arthur, Dr Scott

Baker, Richard

Bance, Antonia

Barker, Paula

Barron, Lee

Beavers, Lorraine

Begum, Apsana

Betts, Mr Clive

Billington, Ms Polly

Bishop, Matt

Blake, Olivia

Brash, Mr Jonathan

Burgon, Richard

Butler, Dawn

Byrne, Ian

Cadbury, Ruth

Coleman, Ben

Collinge, Lizzi

Cooper, Andrew

Cooper, Dr Beccy

Craft, Jen

Creasy, Ms Stella

Davies, Paul

De Cordova, Marsha

Dixon, Anna

Duncan-Jordan, Neil

Eccles, Cat

Edwards, Lauren

Efford, Clive

Ellis, Maya

Entwistle, Kirith

Eshalomi, Florence 

Fenton-Glynn, Josh

Ferguson, Patricia

Foxcroft, Vicky

Francis, Daniel

Furniss, Gill

Gardner, Dr Allison

Gilbert, Tracy

Hack, Amanda

Haigh, Louise

Hall, Sarah

Hamilton,  Paulette

Hamilton, Fabian

Hayes,  Helen

Hillier, Dame Meg 

Hinchliff, Chris

Hume, Alison

Hurley, Patrick

Hussain, Imran

Jermy, Terry

Jogee, Adam

Johnson, Kim

Jones, Lillian

Jones, Ruth

Kelly Foy, Mary

Lamb, Peter

Lavery, Ian

Leishman, Brian

Lewell, Emma

Lewis, Clive

Long Bailey, Rebecca

Maskell, Rachael

McDonald, Andy

McDonnell, John

McKenna, Kevin

Midgley, Anneliese

Mishra, Navendu

Mohamed, Abtisam

Morris, Grahame

Naish, James

Naismith, Connor

Niblett, Samantha

Nichols, Charlotte

Onn, Melanie

Opher, Dr Simon

Osamor, Kate

Osborne, Kate

Owen, Sarah 

Paffey, Darren

Pitcher, Lee

Platt, Jo

Quigley, Mr Richard

Qureshi, Yasmin

Ribeiro-Addy, Bell

Riddell-Carpenter, Jenny

Rimmer, Ms Marie

Rushworth, Sam

Smith, Cat

Stainbank, Euan

Stewart, Elaine

Sullivan, Kirsteen

Tanmanjeet, Mr

Trickett, Jon

Tufnell, Henry

Turner, Laurence

Vaughan, Tony

Webb, Chris

Western, Matt

Whittome, Nadia

Williams, David

Witherden, Steve

Yang, Yuan

Yasin, Mohammad

Full text of the amendment

That this House, whilst noting the need for the reform of the social security system, and agreeing with the Government’s principles for providing support to people into work and protecting people who cannot work, declines to give a Second Reading to the Universal Credit and Personal Independent Payment Bill because its provisions have not been subject to a formal consultation with disabled people, or co-produced with them, or their carers; because the Office for Budget Responsibility is not due to publish its analysis of the employment impact of these reforms until the autumn of 2025; because the majority of the additional employment support funding will not be in place until the end of the decade; because the Government’s own impact assessment estimates that 250,000 people will be pushed into poverty as a result of these provisions, including 50,000 children; because the Government has not published an assessment of the impact of these reforms on health or care needs; because the Government is still awaiting the findings of the Minister for Social Security and Disability’s review into the assessment for Personal Independence Payment and Sir Charlie Mayfield’s independent review into the role of employers and government in boosting the employment of disabled people and people with long-term health conditions.

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    James
    · 1 months ago
    If just 8% of just current SRS households lose PIP or LCWRA its 500,000 more children homeless by consequence

    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Arthritic Annie
      · 1 months ago
      @James They have also said this will do undo damage to our local areas etc. The rich tend to keep the money in banks were most of us font have the luxury of savings..... so obviously if we have less we gave less to spend. 

      It will have major knock on effect....
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Gingin
    · 1 months ago
    Just spoke to the Independent, hopefully there will be some more ammunition online this weekend 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Richard
    · 1 months ago
    I actually cheered when I saw this on the BBC news website - some positive news at last!
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Gingin
      · 1 months ago
      @Richard I think there were collective inward and outward cheers - and I felt all emotional about the brave MPs and all of you.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    MATT
    · 1 months ago
    interesting bit of information in relation to Government reshuffles.  I wonder if Starmer is considering moving Kendall - and possibly, Reeves - in the not too distant future:

    Government reshuffles in the UK, involving three or more secretary of state moves, occur on average about every 10 months, based on data since 1997. This translates to roughly 1.2 reshuffles per year. Reshuffles can be triggered by various factors including general elections, changes in prime minister, or to address declining government popularity. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Yorkie Bard
    · 1 months ago
    The Independent thinks Starmer might have to do something soon!

    If things go really badly next May, after another round of elections, talk of stopping welfare cuts could easily turn into talk of changing leaders. That may force Sir Keir to compromise early before battlelines are properly drawn when the welfare bill has its second reading on Tuesday next week.

  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    george25
    · 1 months ago
    Very very surprised to see my MP on the list ! I sent a heartfelt Thank you email today .
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Kitty
    · 1 months ago
    I feel like I should feel some hope or relief but I just can't bring myself to. I don't want to bring anyone else down. It's due to personal experiences, I was given hope/ promises that I'd be helped in dire situations then it was snatched away and I was left struggling to survive  I feel so alone with this in my own life. My mum seems to have accepted that these changes will result in my death after it causes me immense suffering in terms of emotional and physical pain. I feel like I will never feel safe. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Kitty
      · 1 months ago
      @Helen Galloway
      Sadly my decent GP has retired. The last one I saw banged on about my weight and exercising (I have ME/CFS, exercise is contra indicated). She implied that my mental health relapse due to being made homeless was just bad luck that I needed to get over and that maybe if I went out and got some friends then maybe I'd feel like pushing myself a bit to get better. 

      Thank you for replying though, I do really appreciate it. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Kitty
      · 1 months ago
      @Stuart Thank you for taking the time to comment. I really do appreciate it
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Stuart
      · 1 months ago
      @Kitty Kitty, I can really relate to what you are saying but please try not to think like that. We are all in a similar situation but their are people that care about you and even though I don’t know you so do I !! 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Helen Galloway
      · 1 months ago
      @Kitty I’m sorry to hear this it’s making me feel really down too. It’s especially difficult on your own. Can you reach out to your GP about this and tell them how much this is affecting you. I wonder if they can get any help for you from local organisations. I’m sorry if you’ve had all this said before and rolled out in front of you. But it might help to at least signpost how badly this is affecting you as it will be on their records fur any claim or as supporting evidence they are cruel and rotten really I know how horrible it is please take care of yourself it’s not you it’s them they are evil . Sending wishes Helen 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Anniesmum
    · 1 months ago
    Latest updates on second reading of bill from charities and organisations. Might be worth sending to our MPs. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      gingin
      · 1 months ago
      @Anniesmum This is an excellent report, Anniesmum. These charities have done a brilliant job laying out the data and arguments against. Thanks for sharing. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    keepingitreal
    · 1 months ago
    So, Kemi Badenoch said she did not want to alert Labour to her plans before the welfare reform bill was voted on. Surely that just means she's not saying whether she supports the amendments? The conservatives have already committed to voting against the bill.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    kK
    · 1 months ago
    The tories and reform are going to make mischief with this for political gain, not to help disabled people, perhaps by abstaining and causing a rift in labour.
    I hope it doesn’t get to that and labour pull the bill, whilst they rethink it. 
    I cannot believe we got to this with a LABOUR govt, after all that waiting for what we thought was adults in the room.  Having Said that Ther seem to be still 100 decent labour mps who signed this.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Jenbysea
    · 1 months ago
    My MP is Peter Kyle - not too much of a surprise he is not on the list! Keep on keeping on the hope good people.  :)
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Douglas McBean
      · 1 months ago
      @Jenbysea On the payroll would have to have resigned.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Yorkie Bard
    · 1 months ago
    Published this morning

    'Disability welfare reforms could leave us worse off'

  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Mb1
    · 1 months ago
    Mine has signed it at the bottom mr Chris Webb Blackpool south looks like it’s going to be defeated although I won’t open the orange juice until next week 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    keepingitreal
    · 1 months ago
    Anna Foster did a reasonable job of putting Pat McFadden on the spot on defence then disabled benefit spending on Radio 4 at 08:20 then 08:24. Somewhat undermined by her inviting, then Nick Robinson joining in, a Bruce Springsteen love-in. Pretty insensitive of McFadden to refer to finding "all the gold treasure" two breaths after insisting on the necessary further impoverishment of the sick and disabled.

    Also, journalists really need to get to grips with the concept of pip not being an income replacement benefit, and take mps to task over the ambition to "support" the sick and disabled into work. Even if that were widely achievable, those workers might well still qualify for pip, so no benefit expenditure would be saved in those cases. I'm sensing a means testing intention in what the government hopes would be the upshot of more pip claimants having earned income.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    CaroA
    · 1 months ago
    Hi X MP

    I felt quite weepy when I saw your name on the amendment to kill off this dreadful bill. I have no doubt there’s a need for change within the disability benefit system, and the “Right to Try” guarantee—if done correctly—is an excellent idea. But otherwise, this has clearly not been the way to go about it, and it has already caused untold suffering and distress, even before any part of it becomes law.

    Thank you, though—your support, and hopefully your vote against if it goes ahead, is so appreciated.

    I know how much taking a stand like this can cost politically, but I hope it continues to build substantial moral capital alongside your obviously important work with disabled people in the community.

    Thank you again—hugely appreciated.

  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Pixelmum
    · 1 months ago
    Well things have certainly hotted up since last night, I hope with all my heart that this horrendous bill doesn't go through now, it's the glimmer of hope that we all need after months of anxiety. I hope this is the start of new leadership and Starmer, Kendal, Reeves and Timms are out on their ear.
    Thank goodness there are many decent people still in the Labour party, standing up for what is right and just.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Richard
    · 1 months ago
    The video circulating on this mornings media, all those heavies trying to stifle what disabled claimants were trying to say to Kendall, are a total and utter disgrace.  Not one of them should have been at the meet, Kendall should have been brace enough to state her piece and then take questions and points of view taking valid reasonable points onboard.
    However, like everything else put out by this shower of so-called Labour Ministers,  I do not believe many of them have the brains to work anything.  I know for a fact, much of this is from the horrendously corrupt shirkers and wasters Whitehall Blob.  It is their idea of punishing the disabled people that many have no choice but to claim benefits to survive.  I, unfortunately, are one of those, because without that little bit of PIP, I would be totally housebound.  I would not be able to lease a mobility scooter.  If my PIP was removed, the scooter will immediately be returned, because I would not be able to afford it.  I am not alone.  But this is the cruelty of these corrupt civil servants, I am ashamed to state I was a civil servant for some years, thankfully not a useless vindictive desk jockey.  They are targeting the very wrong people of the benefits system. Us disabled do not ask for much.  I hope this Bill totally fails and is never resurrected.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Della
    · 1 months ago
    Jessica Toale new Bournemouth MP is not on the list, she is a Westminster plant in MP, no local ties.  She voted for assisted suicide, shame.  
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      MATT
      · 1 months ago
      @Della The same with Steve Race in Exeter. I didn't vote for him so he's not interested....sadly as a University town he'll get returned at the next GE
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Angela
    · 1 months ago
    I had a bit of a cry. Hopefully this will stop things. For a while at least
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Boo
    · 1 months ago
    Taken from peternicholls.me.uk 

    “No Dialogue, No Mandate: MPs Push Back on Disability Cuts

    Wider significance

    Legislative risk. A reasoned amendment, if selected by the Speaker and carried, prevents a Bill receiving its Second Reading and so kills the Bill outright.
    Policy-making standards. Proceeding without an OBR employment estimate breaches Treasury Green-Book norms that material economic effects must be quantified before decisions are taken.
    Social impact. Independent modelling by Scope and allied charities estimates that between 300,000 and 400,000 disabled people could enter poverty if the cuts proceed.
    Fiscal context. The Department expects direct PIP savings of £3.5 billion and a further £0.5 billion from linked carers’ benefits by 2029-30. These figures exclude offsetting costs identified above.
    Consequences if the amendment passes

    Immediate halt to the Bill’s progress, forcing ministers either to withdraw or to redraft.
    Mandatory consultation with disabled people and representative bodies before any revised proposals.
    Completion and publication of the OBR employment assessment, the PIP assessment review and the Mayfield employment review as pre-conditions for new legislation.
    Full cost–benefit and equality analysis, including impacts on NHS and social-care demand.
    The record confirms every criticism levelled by the amendment: there has been no consultation, no external quality assurance, no health-impact modelling and no final employment analysis. Parliament therefore has sound procedural and evidential grounds to refuse the Bill a Second Reading until those deficiencies are rectified.

    Principal sources consulted

    House of Commons Impact Assessment, June 2025 – file hcb267_ia_no22025.pdf.
    Universal Credit & PIP Bill reasoned-amendment coverage, Guardian, 23 June 2025.
    Spring-Statement “Health and Disability Benefit Reforms – Impacts”, GOV. UK, March 2025.
    OBR box on welfare reforms not yet incorporated in the forecast, March 2025.
    Disability Rights UK news release on the PIP Assessment Review, 12 May 2025.
    “Keep Britain Working” independent review discovery report, Sir Charlie Mayfield, 20 March 2025.
    Community Care analysis of employment-support funding profile, 19 June 2025.
    Scope briefing on the Bill’s poverty impacts, 24 June 2025.”
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Boo
      · 1 months ago
      @Richard The speaker might be persuaded to accept the amendment given so many powerful select committee chairs have signed the bill!
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Richard
      · 1 months ago
      @Boo I am still not convinced the Speaker will do the right thing and support this amendment.  He already has his knighthood, he is guaranteed a peerage, he has nothing to lose whichever route he takes.  We have already seen his true colours in the Commons.
      I have that gut feeling he will support the government.  I hope he is wrong, because the same with all those MP's supporting the government, they will forever be forced into doing more to appease their electorate.

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