You are here: Home » News »

Byrne: Government plans will hurt cancer patients and disabled children

February 1, 2012 10:05 am

Tags:

Share this Article

Speaking before the return of the Welfare Reform Bill to the commons today, shadow work and pensions secretary Liam Byrne attacked the government, accusing them of “snatching away” support from cancer patients and disabled children:

“We are determined to stop a Government which seems hell-bent on snatching away support from cancer patients and children with disabilities.”

“We believe welfare to work needs jobs – and this bill doesn’t create a single one. Instead it cuts support for people trying to do the right thing like mums trying to go back to work and families trying to save, and quite frankly it crosses a line of basic British decency.”

“This Government now seems relaxed about giving giant bonuses for bankers but resolute about axing help for cancer patients and disabled children. That tells you everything you need to know about their values.”

  • Anonymous

    I spent an hour looking at Hansard and this idiot idea, if even their was a person sitting on the wrong side of the house it’s this one. I cannot be bothered to answer this crap, I really cannot

  • Anonymous

    Byrne is changing his tune, but before he becomes too self-righteous, let us not forget that, under our “Labour” government we had reports of people suffering terminal cancer refused ESA, thanks to the Freud/Purnell reforms.

    • Anonymous

      Do not get me going on it, before I gave up helping at a local well known charity, we had a number of people with cancer who  could not get  any benefits not even JSA, they use to argue with each other who should be paying, the people were left without any benefits at all

  • Anonymous

    This is interesting. who was in this special committee of all parties.

    Ministers say they will use a rule known as “financial privilege” to ensure Parliament approves the cap.
    A special committee of MPs from all parties approved the move on Wednesday.
    This will mean the Lords cannot send the same amendments back
    to the Commons when they re-consider the bill for a final time,
    preventing what is known as “ping pong” between the two chambers and
    effectively ending parliamentary opposition.

Latest

  • Featured I Agree with Jack, End EU Elections

    I Agree with Jack, End EU Elections

    By Dan McCurry

    I agree with Jack Straw. EU parliamentary elections should be abolished. It’s not that we object to democracy, it’s that we object to failed democracy. We object to democracy that continues to exist as a pointless halfway-house absorbing considerable revenue without delivering anything in return. “The directly elected European parliament should be abolished after failing to achieve its purpose of bridging the divide between the European people and the European Union” is what Jack actually said at the recent IPPR event. [...]

    Read more →
  • Video Why are we losing police officers? asks MP

    Why are we losing police officers? asks MP

    Mp Clive Betts put Cameron on the spot over policing at PMQs, but do his arguments on “visible policing” really stack up? Watch their exchange and see for yourself:

    Read more →
  • News Gordon Brown slams Greek bailout – and warns Europe over austerity

    Gordon Brown slams Greek bailout – and warns Europe over austerity

    In an article for the Washington Post entitled “Europe’s shortsighted response to a worsening fiscal reality“, Gordon Brown has hit out at German-led austerity in Europe, lambasting: “policies that the whole world can see have already failed.” In fact, Brown goes further still in tackling head on the central argument around austerity – that any failings that arise from austerity are because there isn’t enough austerity: “the unfolding tragedy of a bankrupt Greece is only a symptom of an even [...]

    Read more →
  • Comment Featured PMQs verdict: How could anyone have “won” something as dreadful as that?

    PMQs verdict: How could anyone have “won” something as dreadful as that?

    By Mark Ferguson

    So much of the coverage of PMQs is focussed on the snap verdict. Who won? Who lost? I’m aware that this blog is as guilty as anyone for playing that game. So let’s make this one simple – nobody won today. How could they have, when the event itself was so deeply, stunningly, mind bendingly dreadful. It started off relatively normal. Loud admittedly, but normal. Ed began with the NHS. Still normal. Cameron dodged the question. Still supremely normal. But something [...]

    Read more →
  • News David Davis launches a scathing attack on the government’s close relationship with big business

    David Davis launches a scathing attack on the government’s close relationship with big business

    David Davis has launched a broadside against the PM – and especially the government’s relationship with big business (or “crony capitalism” as he calls it) – in an interview with Prospect Magazine. The former leadership challenger (who lost out to Cameron in 2005) has spoken out against the government’s handling of Hester’s RBS bonus, tax avoidance and the media. Interestingly, the quotes have come to light on the same day as fellow Tory right big hitter Liam Fox returns to the [...]

    Read more →