Stop and Scrap

A comrade in the Labour Party wants a motion on Universal Credit to go to #lab18. Here are his original words, he’s changed his mind and the new motion is on this blog at an article called, Re-building the benefits system at #lab18/. The original words are below/overleaf.

Conference deplores the rollout, against numerous warnings, of Universal Credit (UC); a draconian system leaving many facing debt, eviction and hunger.

Conference notes the recent (1/8/18) report of the Commons Select Committee on Work and Pensions which highlighted women in abusive relationships having to choose between danger and poverty, the Committee Chair, Frank Field MP, saying:

“Not only does UC’s single household payment bear no relation to the world of work, it is out of step with modern life and turns back the clock on decades of hard won equality for women.  The Government must acknowledge the increased risk of harm to claimants living with domestic abuse it creates by breaching that basic principle, and take the necessary steps to reduce it.”

Conference further notes the report from the CPAG (6/8/18) highlighting the problems due to the monthly assessment period with one family whose UC payment varied from £0 to £1185 since last year, and others losing up to £258 work allowance per month.

Conference believes that these and numerous other documented but non-contemporary issues with UC demonstrate that it is beyond fixing and therefore calls on

– the incoming Labour government to:

1) Stop and scrap UC

2) Carry out a far-reaching social security reform that truly makes work pay and protects those unable to work

– and on the Party as a whole, under the leadership of the Shadow SoSWP, to campaign for this policy until such time as 1) and 2) are achieved.

This is 246 words by my count. Let’s see if we can help him.