EXCLUSIVE: Brian Leishman warned the UK Government is “still proposing enormous cuts” to welfare.
A Scottish Labour MP is still to vote against the UK Government’s welfare reforms despite a drastic U-turn last week.
Brian Leishman said his party’s government “is still proposing enormous cuts” and said it was “telling that no disability charity or organisation has come out and backed the new Bill.”
The Alloa and Grangemouth MP was one of four Scottish Labour representatives who voted against the government on the issue last week.
Leishman said: “The welfare Bill is still proposing enormous cuts of £2 billion to some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
“After the shambles of last week in the Chamber where concessions were being offered and MPs didn’t know where the government was at, it is telling that after all that, that no disability charity or organisation has come out and backed the new Bill.
“I cannot support it in its current deeply flawed format. I still think the government should withdraw it and start again.”
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Last week’s other Scots rebels – Irene Campbell, Tracy Gilbert and Euan Stainbank – are yet to say how they will vote.
MPs backed the disability benefit changes by 335 votes to 260 after the UK Government U-turned on the main part of its plans.
DWP minister Stephen Timms announced just 90 minutes before the vote that it would delay plans to limit who is eligible for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) until after a review. The change had been due to come into force in November 2026.
The late concession came as the Government faced a possible defeat in the House of Commons.
It followed an earlier U-turn where the Government announced the changes to PIP would only apply to new claimants and rowed back on plans to cut the health-related element of Universal Credit.
This was caused by an attempt to kill the bill which had attracted more than 120 Labour supporters – including a dozen Scottish MPs.
Most Scots on disability benefits are on the devolved Adult Disability Payment (ADP), rather than PIP.
The Scottish Government has said it will not cut ADP.
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