Labour suspends seven rebels who voted to remove cap on two-child benefit | Labour

Keir Starmer has suspended seven Labour MPs in an unprecedented response to an early rebellion in support of an amendment to abolish the two-child benefit limit.

The move to suspend left-wing MPs, including former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, sent shockwaves through the party and drew criticism from some MPs who had voted with the government.

The decision followed hours of tough negotiations between the party leaders, which largely contained a planned rebellion in support of a Scottish National Party amendment to end the policy, which has been heavily criticised by charities and child poverty campaigners.

Several MPs said they were surprised by the party violence, which was intended to send a signal to new MPs that they were ready for rebellion at the start of the parliamentary term. The amendment was defeated by 363 votes to 103, a majority of 260 for Labour.

Before the vote, McDonnell said: “I don’t like voting for other parties’ amendments, but I follow the example of Keir Starmer, who said the country must come before the party.”

Alongside former Shadow Chancellor Apsana Begum, Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne, Imran Hussain, Rebecca Long-Bailey and Zarah Sultana voted for the change, with 42 Labour MPs abstaining.

All seven were suspended from party power for six months, pending a review. The move sparked anger among some backbenchers, who said they considered it a strategic error.

Nadia Whittome, MP for Nottingham East, who did not vote for the change but had previously spoken out in favour of removing the cap, said: “The Government’s approach to party discipline is appalling. No MP should have been disenfranchised for voting tonight, particularly on a policy that almost everyone in the Labour Party opposes.”

“Our party has a large majority. If it wants to govern from a position of strength, it must be able to tolerate differences of opinion without making threats and applying the harshest punishments.”

“This does not promote a healthy culture,” she added. “If MPs are unable to stand up to the party benches when they believe they are wrong, the government is more likely to make bad decisions.”

The vote has also caused great tension between backbenchers. Some who support the change are angry at the consequences and believe the rebellion will make it harder for the government to give in on the issue and is likely to anger new MPs. One MP said the tactic was “just tough” and there had been no real discussion of the issue.

In an apparent attempt to appease potential rebels, Keir Starmer hinted for the first time on Monday that he would consider scrapping the cap, which had previously been described as unaffordable. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said scrapping the cap was one of the measures the government would examine as part of an inquiry into child poverty.

The SNP amendment was signed by 21 MPs – including those from the Greens, Plaid Cymru and three independents, including Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader. The restriction, introduced in 2017, prevents parents from claiming benefits for more than two children, with some exceptions.

Siân Berry said the vote had “shown the value that it is valuable for Green MEPs to vote according to their conscience – and not under pressure from the group leadership”.

The MP for Brighton Pavilion added on X: “This persistent poverty is a political choice by this Government. We will continue to demand better services from Labour.”

Although the majority of Labour MPs who campaigned for the cap to be scrapped were on the left, there is support across the party. Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield said she would have stood up and voted for the SNP amendment but was prevented from doing so because she had tested positive for Covid.

Kim Johnson said she had decided to vote “for unity” with the government, but had previously tabled an amendment of her own which was not considered. Speaking to the chamber on Monday, she said her Liverpool Riverside constituency had become the poorest in the country, with 47 percent of children living in poverty.

“The question is not whether we can afford to take important measures to reduce child poverty, such as lifting the two-child limit; the question is whether we can afford not to,” she told the House of Commons, adding that her focus was on “debate, not division”.

After the vote, she told X: “We have made a difference. The election campaign will continue… The enormous strength of the feelings is undeniable. This must be a priority for our first budget.”

Duffield said there was continued pressure within the party for the Government to scrap the cap. “I was disappointed not to have the opportunity to speak out against the two-child limit, but most Labour MPs on the front and backbenches have been fighting against this evil legislation since it was introduced,” she said. “We will continue to push for it to be scrapped, in line with Labour’s strategy to reduce the currently unacceptable levels of child poverty.”

The abolition of the cap is supported by the SNP, Liberal Democrats, Greens and Reform Party. Suella Braverman, who also abstained, told the House on Monday that the cap had not worked as a measure to stop people having more children. “I believe the cap is exacerbating child poverty and it is time to abolish it,” she said.

Kirsty Blackman of the SNP said the “rape clause” – which requires women who have a third child as a result of rape to make a special application for the additional benefit – was degrading. “Even if the Government is not prepared to uphold the two-child limit, it should do something about the rape clause and the evidence that people have to provide to get the exemption,” she told the House.