'Cruel and Heartless’: Rotherham Council divided over Labour’s welfare reforms
Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors have accused the Labour Government of “misleading” voters over its welfare reform plans, in a strongly worded motion brought before Rotherham Council.
The Labour Government’s proposed welfare reforms aim to cut the welfare budget by £5 billion. Key changes include tightening eligibility for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and other benefits, particularly impacting those with disabilities or long-term health conditions.
The reforms also propose adjustments to the Universal Credit system and aim to reduce what the government considers unnecessary spending in social security.
The motion, led by Cllr Zachary Collingham and seconded by Cllr Adam Carter, claims that Labour has performed a U-turn on key election promises made during the 2024 general election campaign — particularly pledges to protect vulnerable people and oppose austerity. The Conservatives argue that planned cuts, including stricter eligibility for Personal Independence Payments (PIP), amount to a betrayal of the public’s trust.
Cllr Zachary Collingham told a full council meeting on April 9 that: “Instead of actually championing the rights of disabled people, supporting them to get into work by devolving funding as they as they promised to do in their manifesto, Keir Starmer’s government is instead making cuts.”
Cllr Adam Carter said that the government’s agenda was ‘cruel’ and ‘heartless’ adding: “I cannot believe that Labour are going against their own principles in the way the government is handling things – the winter fuel payments, benefit cuts just to name a few.
Councillor Chris Read, leader of the council, accused the Conservatives of ‘political manoeuvring’.
“This is straightforward political manoeuvring by people who would actually take more money away from welfare recipients.
He also defended the Labour Party’s position, stating that the government’s welfare goals were the right ones. He pointed out that, “At one stage last year, the number of economically inactive people in Rotherham was rising by 60 people a day for 90 days in a row.”
Cllr Read added that the government’s reforms would benefit many people, noting, “3.8 million people, under the government’s own projections, will be better off under these proposals.”
Cllr Lynda Marshall added that the Labour Party was “cleaning up [the Conservative’s] mess while they snipe from the sidelines, yearning for a return to a Dickensian Britain where the poor are consigned to the grim fate of workhouses.”
The debate was cut short after Cllr Read suggested that “the motion be put.” This procedural move — which calls for the debate to end and the council to move directly to a vote — was agreed upon by the majority of Labour councillors.
As a result, the motion was put to a vote and ultimately lost, with Labour members voting against it.
The debate comes amid local political upheaval, following the resignation of RMBC Deputy Leader Cllr David Sheppard from the Labour Party in protest over the reforms.
A similar motion was also submitted by Independent councillors, underlining cross-party concern over the national policy shift. Both motions call on the council to write jointly to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, urging the government to reconsider its approach.