Government whip Vicky Foxcroft quits over disability benefit cuts

Labour MP Vicky Foxcroft has resigned as a whip over the government’s plans to cut disability benefits.

In a letter to the prime minister, Foxcroft said she understood the need to address “the ever-increasing welfare bill” but said cuts to personal independence payments and universal credit should “not be part of the solution”.

She said she had “wrestled with whether I should resign or remain in the government and fight for changes from within”.

She added: “Sadly it now seems that we are not going to get the changes I desperately wanted to see.”

She said she would not be able to vote for the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, which will be debated in Parliament on 1 July.

More than 100 Labour MPs have expressed concern about the bill and government could face a large rebellion from its own backbenchers when it comes to a vote.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reiterated his belief in the proposed legislation telling reporters: “We have got to get the reforms through.”