Sadik Al-Hassan, the first-ever Labour MP for North Somerset, has taken a bold stand against his own government by opposing proposed cuts to Personal Independence Payments (PIP). As a father of a disabled son, Mr. Al-Hassan emphasized that supporting these cuts would cross a “red line” for him.
Joining a significant rebellion of 108 Labour MPs who have signed a “reasoning amendment,” Mr. Al-Hassan is working to halt the progress of the government’s Welfare Bill. This legislation threatens to restrict access to PIP for disabled people, with official assessments warning it could push 250,000 individuals, including 50,000 children, into poverty.
Expressing his firm stance, Mr. Al-Hassan said, “I couldn’t vote for anything that would make his life, or the life of others like him, harder.” He also highlighted his committed approach to scrutinizing the bill’s impact rather than simply endorsing it blindly.
READ MORE: Glastonbury Festival Traffic Alert: M5 and A303 Congestion Expected
READ MORE: Revised Plans Submitted for 180 Homes on Prime Somerset Field
In a statement shared on social media, Al-Hassan explained his decision was informed by extensive consultations with constituents, advocacy groups, and closed-door talks with government officials: “The people of North Somerset didn’t elect me to be a robot, nor to rubber-stamp legislation without scrutinising its true impact.”
He acknowledged the need to rebuild the welfare system but criticized this bill as falling short: “This is one of those times where the cost is greater than the benefit… There is a whole generation of young people who need hope and support, and this bill misses the mark.”
The government has defended the bill by citing a doubling of PIP claimants since the pandemic and promised “robust protections” for the most vulnerable and severely disabled. The first vote on the bill is scheduled for next week, marking a critical moment in this unfolding debate.