North Edinburgh Women’s International Group has written to Labour leader Ed Miliband following a vote in the House of Commons last week:
Dear Mr Miliband
I am writing to you on behalf of North Edinburgh Women’s International Group regarding reports in the news that 46 Labour MPs failed to turn up to the House of Commons to vote for a motion which could have led to the scrapping of the bedroom tax.
We are unable to understand how this situation could have come about. We can only assume that the 10 Scottish MP’s who failed to vote were unaware of the 150% increase in people using foodbanks in Scotland during the last year as a result of the current programme of welfare reforms. They must also be unaware of the warning from Shelter that “for many, the safety and security of a home is under threat like never before.”
We understand that Labour’s motion on the scrapping of the bedroom tax was defeated by only 26 votes. We would have thought that the recommendation by the UN Special Rapporteur on Housing calling for the bedroom tax to be suspended immediately would have had an impact on members of the Labour Party. This does not appear to have been the case.
We were under the impression that an important part of an MP’s job involves turning up to their workplace (ie the House of Commons) and voting on issues which affect the people they represent. We believe that 46 of your Party’s MPs have not been doing their job and we find this completely unacceptable.
The inaction of these MP’s demonstrates that the Labour Party does not represent the interests of ordinary people. It also suggests that the Labour Party does not care about the suffering and hardship experienced by many families as a result of the bedroom tax.
We are interested in finding out what the Trade Union Movement’s response is to the inaction of the 46 MP’s who represent the Party which they fund.
We are disgusted, angry and disheartened at what has become of the Labour Party. It is no longer the Party of ordinary people. Your Party has taken working class people’s votes for granted. You have insulted our intelligence by assuming that people would forgive and forget this terrible betrayal. This is a serious error which will cost the Labour Party at election time. The excuse of Labour MPs having been paired will not be accepted.
We look forward to your reply
Your sincerely
Anna Hutchison
On behalf of North Edinburgh Women’s International Group
One week on, the group is still awaiting a response.
Forth Labour Councillor Cammy Day comments:
Responding to letter by the Edinburgh North International Women’s group
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