Labor Reinstates Whip to Two MPs Suspended Over Child Benefit Cap Vote
london – Labour has restored the party whip to mps Rushanara Ali and John McDonnell, both of whom lost the whip in July of last year for rebelling against the party line and supporting an amendment to the King’s Speech calling for an end to the two-child benefit cap. The cap has been widely criticized for contributing to rising child poverty, with calls for it’s abolition coming from sources including the children’s commissioner and members of the government’s own child-poverty taskforce.
Ali and McDonnell were among seven MPs initially suspended. Four others – Rebecca Long-Bailey, Ian Byrne, Imran Hussain and Richard Burgon – had their whips restored in February. The seventh, Zarah Sultana, has since left the Labour party and is working to establish a new left-wing party alongside Jeremy Corbyn, who was re-elected as an autonomous in the 2024 election.
both Ali and McDonnell had expressed hope for earlier reinstatement. Ali was first elected as the MP for Poplar and Limehouse in 2019, while mcdonnell has represented Hayes and Harlington since 1997, previously serving as shadow chancellor during Corbyn’s leadership.
The reinstatements come amid ongoing disciplinary action against other Labour MPs. In July, Rachael Maskell, Neil Duncan-jordan, Brian Leishman and Chris Hinchliff lost the whip for repeated rebellions against party policy, particularly concerning welfare changes. Maskell and Duncan-Jordan led opposition to cuts to the winter fuel allowance and welfare reforms, while Hinchliff spearheaded a rebellion over the government’s planning bill and its potential impact on the environment.
Separately in July, Diane Abbott was suspended for a second time following comments she made regarding racism, stating she did not regret past remarks. Abbott had asserted that people of color experience racism “all their lives,” differentiating it from the “prejudice” faced by other groups, and defended her statements as “factually correct.”
Responding to the news,Rushanara Ali stated on Friday: “It is indeed unconscionable that other colleagues remain suspended for voting with their conscience against cuts to disability benefits,along with the longest-serving black MP Diane Abbott,while others retain the whip,like Lord Mandelson.” she reaffirmed her commitment to representing her constituents and advocating for “explicitly anti-imperialist and socialist policies.”
