Six Labour Members of Parliament (MPs) who were previously suspended due to their opposition to the two-child benefit limit are urging Rachel Reeves to completely eliminate the “cruel” policy. They argue that the Labour government cannot reasonably support the policy and that abolishing it would demonstrate a genuine commitment to addressing the financial challenges faced by millions of families.
The MPs, including John McDonnell, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Ian Byrne, Apsana Begum, Richard Burgon, and Imran Hussain, have reengaged with Ms. Reeves after initially being disciplined for voting against the government on this issue following Labour’s recent election success.
Describing the two-child benefit limit as unjust, the MPs emphasized that the policy unfairly penalizes children based on circumstances beyond their control. They highlighted the significant impact on child poverty, asserting that removing the cap would be the most impactful and cost-effective step the Labour Government could take in reducing poverty among children.
The pressure on Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves to reconsider or amend the policy, initially introduced by former Chancellor George Osborne, is intensifying. This policy restricts Child Tax Credits and Universal Credit to the first two children in a family and has been criticized by charities for perpetuating child poverty.
As the government prepares to release the findings of its child poverty review alongside the Budget, there are expectations for recommendations regarding the two-child benefit limit. Concerns have been raised that partial measures, such as implementing a three-child limit or reducing benefits for additional children, would not effectively address child poverty rates in the long term.
Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, has also voiced support for scrapping the policy and criticized the decision to withdraw party support from MPs who opposed the government’s stance last year. Burnham highlighted that such actions contradict the principles he observed during his time in the Labour government under Brown and Blair.
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