On Tuesday, Conservative MPs voted to safeguard taxpayers' money and crack down on benefits fraud.
Benefits should be reserved for the most vulnerable in our society, not fraudsters. The Fraud Bill, put in motion by the last Conservative Government, aims to weed out fraud and error across the public sector, and enable debt owed to the taxpayer to be recovered.
I spoke at the despatch box about the need to go further to make Labour’s version of the Fraud Bill a success, calling for five key changes:
𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐨𝐧 '𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐬'. A 10-year sentence for social media users encouraging fraudulent benefit claims.
𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬. Empower DWP investigators with arrest powers and mandating asset seizure from convicted fraudsters.
𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞. Require an independent tribunal, not Labour Ministers, to review government fraud decisions.
𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. Protecting government employees who speak up against fraud.
𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠. Protect vulnerable people from unintended consequences such as debanking due to new eligibility checks.
I am disappointed that Labour rejected these amendments. What was more shocking is that 11 Labour MPs voted for an amendment which would block the government from checking a person's eligibility for benefits. Watch this space for more rebellions on the Labour benches!
