BREAKING: Whip restored to Apsana Begum and John McDonnell

MPs John McDonnell and Apsana Begum have had the Labour whip restored following a conversation with new Chief Whip Jonathan Reynolds.

The whip was removed after both voted in favour of an SNP amendment to the Kings Speech calling for the scrapping of the two child benefit cap.

Seven MPs were suspended at the time. They were Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Imran Hussain, Apsana Begum and Zarah Sultana.

Burgon, Byrne, Hussain and Long-Bailey all had the whip restored after six month. Sultana has since left the Labour Party.

With the cap now likely to be debated at conference, this restoration may be seen as the latest sign that the government is expecting to move on this contentious issue.

Alex Charilaou, Momentum Co-Chair, said:

“It is hugely welcome to see the Labour Whip reinstated to John McDonnell and Apsana Begum. Their vote against the two-child limit was a vote for Labour values, and they should never have had the whip removed for it.

Now the Government must do the right thing and scrap the Tories’ heinous two child benefit cap.”

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