Labour consider scrapping 'cruel' two-child benefit cap

The new Labour government will consider scrapping the twochild benefit cap as Sir Keir Starmer comes under growing pressure to ditch the cruel” policy.

- KATE DEVLIN

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said the limit would be looked at “as one of a number of ways” to lift children out of poverty. Her comments come as Labour could face its first backbench revolt over the cap, which affects 1.6 million children.

Charities, opposition parties and some of his own MPs have all urged the new PM to abolish the cap, brought in as an austerity measure under the Conservative coalition government. Leftwing Labour MPs were expected to hit out at the policy in a Commons debate yesterday, while SNP has tabled an amendment to the King’s Speech calling for it to be axed.

Labour refused to say it would scrap the cap during the general election, warning the state of the public finances meant it could not afford to make such a pledge. In an apparent bid to head off unhappiness among its own ranks, last week the government announced a review of potential policies to alleviate rising child poverty.