Opposition day debate on the withdrawal of the £20 uplift cancelled to allow MPs to vote on the government’s plan for a new health and social care levy

Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary says that the 'biggest cut in the history of the welfare state' must be debated in Parliament, and that he will do all he can to ensure a vote still takes place

An opposition day debate on the withdrawal of the £20 universal credit uplift has been cancelled to allow MPs to vote on the government's plan for a new health and social care levy.

Speaking earlier this week about the debate, that had been scheduled to take place in the Commons today, Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Jonathan Reynolds said -

'Labour is giving Conservative MPs the chance to do the right thing, stand up to the prime minister and defend their constituents from this devastating cut.'

However, as a result of the publication yesterday of the government's proposals for reform of health and social care, to be funded by a new 1.25 per cent levy on earned incomes, the Leader of the House of Commons announced a change to the business of the House to instead include 'consideration of a Ways and Means resolution on the health and social care levy'.

NB - Ways and Means resolutions are used by the Commons to give consent to measures that will involve taxes or other charges being made on the public.

In response, the Shadow Secretary of State has said -

'The government have pulled Labour’s vote on the cut to Universal Credit that would have been tomorrow to vote on the national insurance increase instead. I will do all I can to ensure a vote still takes place. The biggest cut in the history of the welfare state must be debated in Parliament.'

Source: https://twitter.com/jreynoldsMP