The controversial two-child benefit cap, which was implemented in 2015 and limits payments to the first two children born to most families, is the subject of a test of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s authority.
Starmer suspended seven of his own Labour MPs late on Tuesday for opposing the policy. The prime minister will be grilled in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
Considered a brutal display from his new administration, Starmer’s decision to remove the whip from the group of left-wingers included former finance spokesperson John McDonnell.
The Labour leader came to power a few weeks ago following his party’s resounding victory in the general election on July 4th, 2010, after 14 years in opposition.
The triumph came after a four-year battle to return Labour to the political middle from the hard-left administration of outgoing leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Under Corbyn, the party saw its worst election performance in almost a century in 2019. At 1100 GMT on Monday, Starmer will begin his first weekly Prime Minister’s Questions session in the Commons, when the contentious two-child cap may come up.
The Scottish National Party’s amendment to remove the cap was rejected by MPs late on Tuesday, 363 to 103, giving the government a majority of 260.
More than forty Labour MPs did not cast a vote, in addition to the seven who supported the amendment, indicating the degree of discontent within the centre-left party regarding the proposal.
Although Liverpool MP Kim Johnson stated that she had voted “for unity” with the government, she cautioned that the intensity of sentiment inside the party was “undeniable.” She declared.
“This is now the Labour government’s two-child cap — and it must take ownership of the damage it is causing, including the appalling levels of poverty in the UK,” he tweeted.
Policy Implications
The two-child benefit cap has been a contentious issue, with critics arguing that it exacerbates child poverty and disproportionately affects low-income families. By suspending MPs who oppose it, Starmer is aligning with a centrist approach that seeks to distance Labour from the policies associated with Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.
Starmer’s actions can be seen as part of a broader strategy to rebrand Labour as a more moderate and electable party following years of electoral losses.
