‘I have found out in a news article’, said one of the MPs who has not yet had the whip restored
Four Labour MPs who were suspended for voting to scrap the two-child benefit cap have had the whip restored.
Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne, Imran Hussain and Rebecca Long-Bailey are now back in the Parliamentary Labour Party after sitting as independent MPs for six months.
Zarah Sultana, Apsana Begum and former shadow chancellor John McDonnell remain suspended pending review.
Starmer suspended the MPs in July 2024 after they backed an SNP amendment to the King’s Speech to scrap the two-child benefit limit.
The Child Poverty Action Group estimates that the two-child benefit cap affects around 1.6 million children, denying families with more than two children up to £3,455 per year in child allowances through universal credit and tax credits.
Labour defeated the amendment by 363 votes to 103, but since it was tied to the King’s Speech, Labour’s plan for government, Starmer took a tough stance and withdrew the whip.
Begum and Sultana said they learned about the decision that they would not yet have whip restored from reading the news.
Begum said in a post on X: “I have found out in a news article, that I’ve not had the Labour whip restored which was removed for voting to scrap the 2-child limit.
“Almost half of all children in my borough grow up in poverty. I want to be clear: I will always stand up for the people of Poplar & Limehouse.”
Sultana commented: “I’ve just found out from this article that my whip still hasn’t been restored. Turns out speaking up for Palestine is still a punishable offence.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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