Salford MP Rebecca Long-Bailey has said she is “deeply saddened” to have been suspended from the Labour Party after rebelling against the government yesterday.
Long-Bailey was one of the seven Labour MPs who had their whips withdrawn after they defied the government by voting in favour of scrapping the two-child benefit cap.
The cap was introduced by the Conservatives in 2017 and limits the number of children that parents can claim tax credit or universal credit for to two.
Long-Bailey said: “As an MP in Salford, where 44.7% of children live in poverty with some wards closer to 60%, I urged the Government in the King’s Speech debate to scrap the two-child limit on Universal Credit.
“This is something many struggling families have raised with me but it’s also something that every child poverty expert has called for.
“Scrapping the two-child limit would lift hundreds of thousands of children across the country out of poverty.”
The other MPs suspended were Zarah Sultana, John McDonnell, Apsana Begum, Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne and Imran Hussain.
The motion brought forward by the Scottish National Party was rejected by MPs 363 to 103 votes.
Long-Bailey added: “I support the King’s Speech and support Government pledges to roll out breakfast clubs and to instigate a child poverty task force.
“I am gravely concerned however that this will take considerable time to pass through the relevant stages of consultation and indeed into final legislation. That is why I voted in favour of scrapping the two-child limit.”
Long-Bailey has been the Labour MP for Salford (previously Salford and Eccles) since 2015 and ran against Keir Starmer in the Labour leadership election.
The rebellion comes less than three weeks after Labour won the General Election in a landslide victory.
She added: “I am deeply saddened to have had the whip suspended for six months. As a strict matter of conscience, on this occasion I felt I must speak for my constituents who have no voice in the hope that the Government urgently helps them on this issue.
“I will continue to work with the Government and colleagues to help the constituents I represent.”
Feature image: Chris McAndrew. CC BY 3.0
