Universal Credit vote: Peterborough MP accuses Labour of ‘misleading vulnerable people’

An Opposition Day Debate is being held in the House of Commons to push the Government to maintain a £20 a week increase in the benefit which was introduced last April due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Conservative MPs, including Paul Bristow (Peterborough) and Shailesh Vara (North West Cambridgeshire), are expected to abstain on the vote meaning the non-binding motion is due to pass. However, ministers have not committed to implementing it.

Instead, the Government said it will consider benefits support in March’s Budget, with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab saying the rise was supposed to be temporary when it was introduced.

The uplift in Universal Credit is worth more than £1,000 a year to families.

Commenting on Sunday, Mr Bristow wrote: “Tomorrow there will be an Opposition Day Debate on Universal Credit. This Government increased Universal Credit by £20 to help families during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Labour are demanding this is made permanent and trying to pretend a cut is planned. They are suggesting that there is a vote on this issue tomorrow.

“This isn’t true. They are deliberately misleading vulnerable people and trying to play politics in a pandemic.”

Mr Bristow also shared a video which claimed that Labour use Opposition Day Debates to “weaponise emotive issues,” adding that they do not change the law.

The MP’s Labour predecessor Lisa Forbes tweeted: “There are over 17,750 people in #Peterborough Constituency on Universal Credit & 11,097 in North West Cambs. I urge both Peterborough MP’s to vote in favour of Labour’s motion this week and not cut £1000 from their Universal Credit payments.

@paulbristow79 @ShaileshVara.”