Maria Eagle MP A Strong Voice in Tough Times
On Wednesday, I spoke during a Westminster Debate on Poverty in Liverpool secured by Luciana Berger, MP for Wavertree. Click here to watch the full debate.
Poverty in Liverpool – Westminster Hall Debate
On Wednesday, I spoke during a Westminster Debate on Poverty in Liverpool secured by Luciana Berger, MP for Wavertree. The impact of 8 years of Tory austerity is felt by thousands of people all over Britain, but it has hit people in Liverpool particularly hard. Liverpool City Council and Knowsley Borough Council in my constituency have both seen their budgets slashed by more than half since 2010. Adding to this are huge changes to the disability benefits system, tax credit caps, lower in work income and regular sanctions all of which affect those most in need and those entitled to the support our welfare system is supposed to offer.As a result Food Bank usage has sky rocketed, and worryingly the Government's complete mismanagement of the Universal Credit roll out is now starting to hit many of my constituents. I put these points to Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Minister Justin Tomlinson who was responding, points that were also raised in the speeches given by my Merseyside Labour colleagues. His response was beyond disappointing.The Minister stuck to the same old Tory line that work is the best way out of poverty, despite the fact that many my constituents who have seen their in work benefits cut are now worse off than before. He stuck to the same old Tory line that people “use food banks for a variety of reasons” without being able to name them despite readily available research from food bank charity the Trussell Trust clearly showing that changes to the benefits system, delays in payments and low in work income are the three main reasons for food bank usage. And he yet again failed to commit his Department to collecting statistics on food bank usage, information that would give the DWP a very clear understanding of the detrimental impact that this Government's decisions are having on the most vulnerable.This simply isn't good enough. My constituents should not have to choose between paying their household bills and buying food as a result of claiming the benefits to which they are entitled. And they should not have to accept the impact of this Government's gross mismanagement of the benefits system as something they have to live with. We deserve more for those who need it most. Only a Labour Government will deliver this.
Posted by Maria Eagle MP on Tuesday, October 30, 2018
The impact of 8 years of Tory austerity is felt by thousands of people all over Britain, but it has hit people in Liverpool particularly hard. Liverpool City Council and Knowsley Borough Council in my constituency have both seen their budgets slashed by more than half since 2010. Adding to this are huge changes to the disability benefits system, tax credit caps, lower in work income and regular sanctions all of which affect those most in need and those entitled to the support our welfare system is supposed to offer.
As a result Food Bank usage has sky rocketed, and worryingly the Government’s complete mismanagement of the Universal Credit roll out is now starting to hit many of my constituents. I put these points to Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Minister Justin Tomlinson who was responding, points that were also raised in the speeches given by my Merseyside Labour colleagues. His response was beyond disappointing.
Click here to watch me trying to get answers from the Tory Minister
The Minister stuck to the same old Tory line that work is the best way out of poverty, despite the fact that many my constituents who have seen their in work benefits cut are now worse off than before. He stuck to the same old Tory line that people “use food banks for a variety of reasons” without being able to name them despite readily available research from food bank charity the Trussell Trust clearly showing that changes to the benefits system, delays in payments and low in work income are the three main reasons for food bank usage. And he yet again failed to commit his Department to collecting statistics on food bank usage, information that would give the DWP a very clear understanding of the detrimental impact that this Government’s decisions are having on the most vulnerable.
This simply isn’t good enough. My constituents should not have to choose between paying their household bills and buying food as a result of claiming the benefits to which they are entitled. And they should not have to accept the impact of this Government’s gross mismanagement of the benefits system as something they have to live with. We deserve more for those who need it most. Only a Labour Government will deliver this.