Welfare Reform Bill

Debate between Charlie Elphicke and Paul Uppal

Monday 13th June 2011 Commons Chamber

[Paul Uppal]

As usual, my hon. Friend is making an excellent speech. Does he not highlight the fact that this is a moment for the Opposition to decide on which side of the fence they stand? They talk about reform, but it will be interesting to note how they vote today and on Wednesday.

[Charlie Elphicke]

I agree. In fact, let me use the words of the Leader of the Opposition, who said:

“Finally we will never encourage a sense of responsibility if society is becoming more and more unfair, and more and more divided.”

We know that Labour divided our country more between the rich and the poor when it was in office, and we know that giving people who have £50,000 in the bank out-of-work benefits would be deeply unfair to the ordinary working person in the street.