Kate Osborne MP: ‘I will vote against the proposals to cut disability benefits’

I have vocally opposed these cuts since they were first suggested, I’ve written to the Secretary of State and lobbied Ministers, I've attended briefings with charities, local groups and spoken to many people in the constituency and of course I have received hundreds of emails from people highlighting the impact it will have on them.

Despite more than 140 Labour MPs making representations privately and publicly yesterday the Government published a bill that states it is to restrict eligibility for the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) alongside other measures that will cut benefits.

The government’s own estimates show that 3.2 million people across the UK could lose vital financial support if these plans go ahead.

Let’s be clear – that’s not just a number. Each one of those 3.2 million is a person’s life, a person with families, carers, and communities – including right here in Jarrow and Gateshead East – who are already grappling with the cost-of-living crisis and the legacy of over 14 years of dreadful Tory austerity.

These measures would disproportionately harm areas like ours, which already face some of the country’s highest levels of poverty, long-term health conditions, and unemployment.

Here in the North East, one in three households includes at least one disabled person. Again these are not faceless statistics – many are already doing everything they can to make ends meet, working or trying to work, all while managing complex health needs.

And actually, it’s going to damage our economy, there’s all the people that are working and inputting to our local economy, as well as of course their own dignity and self respect of being able to get up and go to work. If that’s removed, I refuse to be a part of it.

Up to 400,000 people could be pushed into poverty by these cuts. And, as always, the pain will not be shared equally. Areas like ours in South Tyneside and Gateshead will be hit nearly three times harder than wealthier regions.

This is a red line for me – and for many of my constituents. I will not support these cuts. I believe a Labour government must lift people up, not take away the support they need to live with dignity and independence.

Labour was founded to protect the most vulnerable, to fight for fairness, and to build a society that works for the many – not just the wealthy few. We must never lose sight of that.

Time and again, I’ve heard from constituents who’ve been traumatised by the current benefits system – by harsh assessments, confusing forms, and the dreaded brown envelope on the doormat. This system has dehumanised the very people it is supposed to help. That is not the mark of a civilised society.

We do need a complete overhaul – but it has to be one that’s shaped by compassion and led by the voices of disabled people and disabled people’s organisations. These groups have spent years campaigning for a system that treats people with dignity, and it’s time we listened.

We also need to ask ourselves some hard questions about our national priorities. Why is it always those with the least who are expected to give up the most? Why are we not taxing extreme wealth – the billionaires and big corporations who can well afford to pay more? Why are we not closing tax loopholes or tackling the profiteering we’ve seen in energy, food, and housing?

We cannot build a thriving economy by cutting off support to those who are already struggling. We must invest in people – including disabled people – because it’s not only the right thing to do morally, it also makes economic sense.

When people are supported properly, they are healthier, more independent, and more likely to work if they can. Removing that support only creates more pressure on the NHS, social care, and public services – and deepens the very inequalities we should be working to reduce.

The North East has the highest proportion of disabled people and the highest levels of child poverty. We should be focusing on tackling those inequalities – not making them worse.

We must tackle the root causes of inequality – not punish those living with its consequences. And we must never forget who we are here to serve.

I am still recovering from my recent spinal operation but I am in Parliament and out in the constituency as much as I am able to and as your MP, I will always stand up for the people of Jarrow and Gateshead East. I will continue to fight for a society based on care, compassion, and common sense – not cuts.

Because that is what Labour should stand for. And it’s what our communities deserve.