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The leader of the Fire Brigades Union is calling on Labour MPs to vote against the government’s proposed cuts to benefits.<\/p>\n
Steve Wright has become the first general secretary of a trade union affiliated to the Labour Party to explicitly tell Sir Keir Starmer’s MPs to rebel against his plans.<\/p>\n
Wright told the BBC: “the most vulnerable and poorest in society are being asked to pay for a crisis they didn’t cause. I don’t believe that is why people are involved in the Labour movement.”<\/p>\n
He added that he believed the move would lead to “the normalisation of the cost of living crisis” for many, and should be rejected.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Ministers have set out plans for a benefits shake-up that aims to save around \u00a35bn a year by 2030, including tightening eligibility for Personal Independence Payment, the main disability benefit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n
There are also planned changes to universal credit. <\/p>\n
Under-22s will no longer be able to claim the health-related element of universal credit, and the health top-up for new claimants is being cut from \u00a397 to \u00a350 per week from April 2026.<\/p>\n
A new top-up payment for those with the most severe conditions is to be introduced.<\/p>\n
Voting on the plans is expected as soon as next month.<\/p>\n
Steve Wright was elected as the FBU’s general secretary in January.<\/p>\n
There are eleven trades unions affiliated to the Labour Party.<\/p>\n
The FBU reaffiliated to the party in 2015, more than 10 years after it withdrew its support when Tony Blair was prime minister.<\/p>\n
Ministers insist changes to the benefits system are essential to encourage more people back to work and to limit the expansion of the cost to taxpayers of the welfare state.<\/p>\n