Foyle MP Colum Eastwood to oppose British government’s disability cuts

Derry’s MP Colum Eastwood is set to vote against planned cuts to disability support when the British Government’s Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill comes to the House of Commons later today. 

Mr Eastwood previously signed a reasoned amendment alongside more than 100 MPs from other parties opposing the bill and said that while significant concessions have been extracted from the government, the new proposals will push more than 100,000 people into poverty and cause hardship for people with disabilities in the future.

The former SDLP leader said: “Over the last few days, pressure from MPs has resulted in significant concessions from the British government on its proposed cuts to disability support that will be worth billions. Existing PIP claimants, who were subjected to needless anxiety over the planned cuts, have now been protected and that is very welcome.

“The new proposals, however, create an unacceptable distinction between people with disabilities today and those who enter new claims next year. How can we say to people who need help using the bathroom or cutting up their food today that they will be supported but someone in exactly the same position in a year will be told they’ll get nothing? It is fundamentally unjust.

“I have consistently raised these concerns with Ministers and with Keir Starmer in the House of Commons on behalf of people in Derry. The British government should consider the scale of opposition to these proposals and think again."