Labour will table welfare bill amendment after Harman U-turn

Harriet Harman has rowed back on plans to whip Labour MPs into backing the government’s welfare bill next week.

The acting Labour leader’s announcement on Sunday that Labour would not oppose plans to limit tax credits to families with one or two children and further reduce the welfare cap had divided the parliamentary party.

Three of the four leadership candidates – Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper and Jeremy Corbyn – spoke out publicly against the move. Burnham and Cooper also argued against it at Tuesday’s meeting of the Shadow Cabinet.

Labour MP will now be whipped to back an amendment stating the party’s support for a benefit cap but opposition to the welfare bill because it would increase child poverty in both absolute and relative terms.

The U-turn come after 40 Labour MPs backed an amendment opposing the bill tabled by former welfare shadow minister Helen Goodman.

Cooper and Burnham also sought to persuade Harman to change her position. Both met with her today, with Cooper also speaking with her several times on the phone.