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| Housing benefit: Coalition faces Commons split | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The Lib Dems and Conservatives are set for a Commons showdown later over a bid to ease housing benefit changes. | |
| Lib Dem MP Andrew George wants to exempt more people from what critics call the "bedroom tax" and ministers the "spare room subsidy". | |
| Nick Clegg has ordered his MPs to get behind Mr George's bill, with Labour also promising to back it. | Nick Clegg has ordered his MPs to get behind Mr George's bill, with Labour also promising to back it. |
| The Tories are understood to have ordered their MPs to vote against the bill on Friday on a three-line whip. | The Tories are understood to have ordered their MPs to vote against the bill on Friday on a three-line whip. |
| If Mr George's private member's bill becomes law people who could not be found a smaller home would be exempt from the housing benefit changes. | If Mr George's private member's bill becomes law people who could not be found a smaller home would be exempt from the housing benefit changes. |
| The bill would also exempt disabled people who need a spare bedroom or who have adapted homes. | The bill would also exempt disabled people who need a spare bedroom or who have adapted homes. |
| 'Fairer' | 'Fairer' |
| It is only the second time the coalition partners have split in this way, with MPs from the two parties being whipped to vote against each other. The first was over changes to the boundaries of parliamentary constituencies. | It is only the second time the coalition partners have split in this way, with MPs from the two parties being whipped to vote against each other. The first was over changes to the boundaries of parliamentary constituencies. |
| Labour MPs will not be whipped in Friday's vote but Mr George hopes enough of them will be in the Commons chamber to ensure his bill gets through to its next stage. | Labour MPs will not be whipped in Friday's vote but Mr George hopes enough of them will be in the Commons chamber to ensure his bill gets through to its next stage. |
| Earlier this week, Labour's shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Rachel Reeves said her party had decided to get behind Mr George's bill after initially denouncing the "hypocrisy" of the Lib Dems for attacking a policy which they had voted for. | |
| In July, Lib Dem cabinet minister Danny Alexander said his party would "make the case for these new fairer rules" in government, adding: "If we cannot convince our Conservative coalition partners, we will commit to these reforms in the our 2015 Liberal Democrat manifesto." | In July, Lib Dem cabinet minister Danny Alexander said his party would "make the case for these new fairer rules" in government, adding: "If we cannot convince our Conservative coalition partners, we will commit to these reforms in the our 2015 Liberal Democrat manifesto." |
| 'Cynical' | 'Cynical' |
| He said the U-turn had been prompted by evidence that the policy was not working. | He said the U-turn had been prompted by evidence that the policy was not working. |
| But the Conservatives accused their coalition partners of a "cynical PR stunt" and insisted the changes were working and were bringing "the bloated Housing Benefit bill under control". | But the Conservatives accused their coalition partners of a "cynical PR stunt" and insisted the changes were working and were bringing "the bloated Housing Benefit bill under control". |
| Mr George, who voted against the housing benefit changes, said he welcomed a promise by Labour to amend his legislation to axe benefit cuts completely for people deemed to have too many bedrooms, if the bill moved to its next Commons stage. | |
| He told BBC News he was reasonably optimistic that his bill would get a second reading, due to the "enthusiasm amongst those people who want to support it". | He told BBC News he was reasonably optimistic that his bill would get a second reading, due to the "enthusiasm amongst those people who want to support it". |
| But he conceded there was "equal enthusiasm among Tories trying to stop it", adding: "The government is split on this issue". | But he conceded there was "equal enthusiasm among Tories trying to stop it", adding: "The government is split on this issue". |
| He is also concerned that many Lib Dem and Labour MPs who might otherwise support the bill will be in Scotland taking part in the referendum campaign. | He is also concerned that many Lib Dem and Labour MPs who might otherwise support the bill will be in Scotland taking part in the referendum campaign. |
| A senior Lib Dem source said: "The Liberal Democrats will definitely be voting for Andrew George's private member's bill on Friday. | A senior Lib Dem source said: "The Liberal Democrats will definitely be voting for Andrew George's private member's bill on Friday. |
| "It is an excellent articulation of our policy which will help build a stronger economy in a fairer society. | "It is an excellent articulation of our policy which will help build a stronger economy in a fairer society. |
| "The Liberal Democrats believe people already in the social rented sector should only see a reduction in their benefit if they turn down suitable smaller homes." | "The Liberal Democrats believe people already in the social rented sector should only see a reduction in their benefit if they turn down suitable smaller homes." |
| The source added: "That is a workable policy to help tackle the chronic shortage in social housing in Britain, which is why we are calling on MPs from all parties to support the bill." | The source added: "That is a workable policy to help tackle the chronic shortage in social housing in Britain, which is why we are calling on MPs from all parties to support the bill." |