“The Prime Minister should be listening to these voices, not punishing them”
Four Labour MPs have had the whip suspended for what the party leadership has said is “persistent breaches of party discipline”. As a result, the MPs – Chris Hinchcliff, Brian Leishman, Neil Duncan-Jordan and Rachael Maskell will sit as independents unless and until the whip is restored.
All four of the MPs voted against the government’s Universal Credit Bill, which initially sought to make substantial cuts to disability benefits. Additionally, Maskell tabled an amendment to the bill which intended to stop it progressing through parliament.
The move to suspend the four MPs has been highly controversially – including within the Labour Party itself. A series of Labour MPs have explicitly criticised the decision.
Left wing Labour MP Richard Burgon posted on X: “Challenging policies that harm our communities, that damage Labour’s support and that make a Reform government much more likely is a key role of Labour backbenchers. The Prime Minister should be listening to these voices, not punishing them.
“After the suspension of myself and others last year for opposing the two-child benefit cap, I had hoped the leadership would take a different approach to backbenchers. Sadly, it isn’t yet doing so. To help stop a Reform Government, it really must do so.”
Labour MP Clive Lewis, meanwhile, struck a similar tone, saying: “We must strike a balance between collective discipline and open, principled debate – even in government. Backbench MPs play a vital role in holding the executive to account. Silencing that role is a dangerous road for any democracy.
“At a time when authoritarianism is on the rise, pluralism, free expression and open disagreement must be protected, not punished.
“Millions voted Labour because they wanted real change, not just of policies but of political culture. What’s happened today risks making them wonder if they’re simply getting more of the same.”
Jon Trickett – the Labour MP for Normanton and Hemsworth posted on X: “It’s not a sin to stand up for the poor and disabled. Instead of learning from their error the govt has mistakenly suspended 4 decent MPs
“To the millions of disabled people, their carers and relatives I say this: we fight on for justice. Solidarity with the suspended Four”.
Criticism of the move hasn’t been universal within Labour, however. Abdi Duale – a member of the party’s NEC – said: “If you were elected as a Labour candidate, it shouldn’t be shocking that voting with the Labour whip is a bare minimum requirement.”
Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forward
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