Ellie Clifford, left, at this week’s protests at the Houses of Parliament

THE amended welfare bill will still plunge hundreds of disabled people in Islington into poverty and does nothing to restore trust in the Labour government, campaigners warned this week.

Sir Keir Starmer and his colleagues saw off a rebellion by watering down the bill to get it through the House of Commons – but 49 of his MPs still voted against it.

In a chaotic week for the government, last minute changes included a U-turn on plans to cut Personal Independence Payment (PIP) benefits, with changes now delayed until 2026. But campaigners warned that cuts to Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity (LCWRA) payments, which are paid to the most vulnerable disabled people too sick to work – remain in place for new claimants. This, they said, will put many at risk of destitution.

Ellen Clifford, a disability campaigner who is a member of Disabled People Against Cuts, said: “It has gone under the radar that £3,000 will be cut from the most severely disabled people. This affects the future of kids who will definitely not be able to work and are having a quarter of their income cut. That has just been voted through as OK.”

She added: “Of course the standard allowance should be increased, but not on the backs of disabled people who literally can’t work and who already live in poverty.”

Andy Greene, a triple amputee who lives in Caledonian Road, said the fallout from the bill was going to be “massive”.

He said: “The bill is a shambles and a betrayal, even MPs don’t really know what they’re voting for. This was fully expected with the way Labour have treated disabled people since they got into power.

Triple amputee Andy Greene

“We have seen savage cuts from the Labour government on the back of savage cuts from the last Tory government.

“I don’t know how they are finding more to cut because we’ve already had everything stripped to the bone, particularly in Islington. We have a higher than average proliferation of disabled people, particularly people on PIP [Personal Independent Payment], and particularly in the north of the borough.”

Mr Greene added: “If it wasn’t for PIP I would be absolutely living in poverty. PIP is feeding people and paying bills that otherwise would not be paid.

“This isn’t about numbers, this is about disabled people and their families having their world whittled away year upon year upon year.”

Ms Clifford told the Tribune that faith in the Labour government was in “no way restored” after Keir Starmer’s U-turn on PIP payments.

She said: “Disabled people know how hard we had to fight to get that. The arrogance with which they negotiated that concession, and the way they fought to keep in measures that were going to push people into poverty, disabled people can’t help but think Keir Starmer has a personal vendetta against us.”

Ms Clifford added: “To Emily Thornberry, and other MPs who voted for the bill, watch out for your seat next election, that’s how angry we are. Disabled people are not going to forgive or forget this and if that bill goes through we are going to put a lot of effort into making sure any MP that voted for or abstained will be punished at the next election.

There was further scepticism from disabled activist groups that promises that a review that MP Stephen Timms will lead would truly take into account disabled people’s needs and voices.

Mr Greene told the Tribune: “I would warn against any disabled people’s organisations in Islington against taking up the offer to work with the government on this review. It would be selling their members down the river and there would be an absolute backlash from local activists against those organisations.”

Disability Action in Islington released a statement on X saying they were “deeply disappointed that Emily Thornberry MP voted for the welfare reform bill – turning her back on Islington’s disabled community”.

Ms Thornberry said: “I appreciate that the changes to the bill were announced in a way which was very difficult to follow. But what I voted for on Tuesday was an above-inflation increase to the basic rate of Universal Credit, the changes to PIP eligibility were removed from the bill.”

She added: “What will happen now is that Stephen Timms will look into the best way of assessing eligibility for PIP and come back with recommendations. He wants to do this with the help of disabled people’s organisations, and I encourage everyone to share their views with him.”

Meanwhile, Islington North Jeremy Corbyn, voted against the bill. He said: “Much attention is being placed on the shambolic nature of the government’s handling of the welfare bill on Tuesday.

“Less attention is being paid to what this whole thing was about: trying to save money by taking away support from disabled people.”

He added: “I will never support any attempt to impose a two-tier benefit system, where two people with the same condition could be given wildly different levels of support.

“This government should stop finding ways of making vulnerable people’s lives harder, and instead have the courage to stand up to the very wealthiest in our society to ensure everybody can live in dignity.”