Labour MP 'not able to support' welfare cuts

Neil Duncan-Jordan has been MP for Poole since July 2024.

A Dorset MP is warning that cuts to welfare announced in the spring statement would be "making poor people poorer".

Updating Parliament on her economic plans, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said there would be a freeze on Universal Credit, and stricter eligibility tests for personal independence payments (PIP), the main disability benefit.

The Poole MP, Neil Duncan-Jordan, said he could not support the welfare cuts, telling the chancellor in the Commons: "It's those with the broadest shoulders who should be carrying the heaviest burden".

The Government said the measures would reduce the welfare budget by £4.8bn.

Pip is paid to people in England and Wales who have difficulty completing everyday tasks or getting around as a result of a long-term physical or mental health condition.

Delivering her spring statement on Wednesday, Reeves said "it can't be right" some people were improperly using the scheme.

Speaking on BBC Radio Solent, Duncan-Jordan said assessments showed 250,000 people, including 50,000 children would end up in poverty as a result of the changes to disability benefits.

"That may be an unintended consequence, but it certainly isn't what I think a Labour government should be doing and it certainly isn't something that I will be able to support".

He is one of a number of Labour MPs to publicly to declare that they would not vote for the welfare changes

'Don't agree'

He said his constituents had "real concerns" about the plans.

"I'm on their side" he said. "Some of the decisions that the government are making are going to make people worse off

"I'm working inside and outside of Parliament to try and get some changes along the way.

"I agree that welfare reform is a reasonable thing to look at, what I don't think is reasonable thing to look at is making poor people poorer".

"I think there's a hope over expectation that things will get better, I'm not convinced that that will be the case.

The government has said it wants to ease people's fears about losing benefits if they take a job and it does not work out.

Earlier this month, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall announced a £1bn package of support to help disabled people and those with long-term conditions into work.

Duncan-Jordan criticised the Government in September 2024 over the removing of some winter fuel payments for pensioners, but abstained rather than voting against the measure.

A former trade union officer at Unison, Duncan-Jordan became the Labour MP for Poole, Dorset at the 2024 general election.

He was the first ever Labour MP in the history of the constituency, winning the seat by just 18 votes.