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| Labour revolts 'not life or death' says Peter Hain | Labour revolts 'not life or death' says Peter Hain |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Former Welsh Secretary Peter Hain has said a revolt by Labour MPs on welfare and concerns about the party leadership contest are a "passing phase". | Former Welsh Secretary Peter Hain has said a revolt by Labour MPs on welfare and concerns about the party leadership contest are a "passing phase". |
| Nearly 50 Labour MPs - including seven from Wales - defied orders from acting leader Harriet Harman and voted against a UK government bill on Monday. | Nearly 50 Labour MPs - including seven from Wales - defied orders from acting leader Harriet Harman and voted against a UK government bill on Monday. |
| Earlier, former Pontypridd MP and ex-Labour minister Kim Howells described the leadership race as "shambolic". | Earlier, former Pontypridd MP and ex-Labour minister Kim Howells described the leadership race as "shambolic". |
| Mr Hain conceded the leadership contest had been "fairly underwhelming". | Mr Hain conceded the leadership contest had been "fairly underwhelming". |
| Bu the ex-Neath MP said Labour retained a clear message and denied the welfare vote was a major concern. | Bu the ex-Neath MP said Labour retained a clear message and denied the welfare vote was a major concern. |
| "Labour is in a situation now where we don't have an elected leader," he told the Good Morning Wales programme. | "Labour is in a situation now where we don't have an elected leader," he told the Good Morning Wales programme. |
| "I think this is a point we have to get through - get a new leader in place to take us forward. | "I think this is a point we have to get through - get a new leader in place to take us forward. |
| "That's the thing people should be thinking on now - and who they think should be the leader. | "That's the thing people should be thinking on now - and who they think should be the leader. |
| "I don't think this is a life or death moment for the Labour Party." | "I don't think this is a life or death moment for the Labour Party." |
| On Monday, Dr Howells told Radio Wales he did not know "what anyone believes anymore who is there at the top of the Labour Party". | On Monday, Dr Howells told Radio Wales he did not know "what anyone believes anymore who is there at the top of the Labour Party". |
| "I fear for the future of the party," he said. | "I fear for the future of the party," he said. |
| "I think it is the most serious crisis I've ever encountered in Labour's history." | "I think it is the most serious crisis I've ever encountered in Labour's history." |
| 'It's a shambles' | 'It's a shambles' |
| He said the party should have decided what its message was before moving to a leadership contest. | He said the party should have decided what its message was before moving to a leadership contest. |
| "But we are doing it, as usual, in a shambolic way," he said. | "But we are doing it, as usual, in a shambolic way," he said. |
| While his former ministerial colleague Mr Hain agreed the leadership contest was "fairly underwhelming", he said Labour "always stands for social justice, for equality, for a strong economy based on growth and enterprise". | While his former ministerial colleague Mr Hain agreed the leadership contest was "fairly underwhelming", he said Labour "always stands for social justice, for equality, for a strong economy based on growth and enterprise". |
| "I hope the party votes not only with its heart, but with its head as well," he added. | "I hope the party votes not only with its heart, but with its head as well," he added. |
| Labour Aberavon MP Stephen Kinnock abstained in Monday night's vote on the Welfare Reform and Work Bill, in line with party orders. | Labour Aberavon MP Stephen Kinnock abstained in Monday night's vote on the Welfare Reform and Work Bill, in line with party orders. |
| He said Labour needed to "box clever" over the chancellor's plans for £12bn in welfare cuts, rather than follow a strategy of blanket opposition, because George Osborne was a "very tactical" politician. | He said Labour needed to "box clever" over the chancellor's plans for £12bn in welfare cuts, rather than follow a strategy of blanket opposition, because George Osborne was a "very tactical" politician. |
| "We've said, look, some of the aspects of this we support, some we don't," Mr Kinnock said. | "We've said, look, some of the aspects of this we support, some we don't," Mr Kinnock said. |
| "When it gets to the committee stage we will be taking this very seriously, looking forensically at each clause and going through and opposing the areas where we see that the chancellor is going on the wrong track." | "When it gets to the committee stage we will be taking this very seriously, looking forensically at each clause and going through and opposing the areas where we see that the chancellor is going on the wrong track." |
| Labour Cardiff Central MP Jo Stevens, who joined the rebellion, denied the party had given the impression of being disunited. | |
| "I think it's clear from the fact that we were not supporting - whether we voted against or whether people abstained - we are not supporting the vast majority of what is in that welfare bill and I think most people will support us in our view on that." | |
| Analysis by Nick Servini, BBC Wales political editor | Analysis by Nick Servini, BBC Wales political editor |
| It's almost a perfect storm for Labour at the moment. | It's almost a perfect storm for Labour at the moment. |
| The party is still reeling from the general election result, it's grappling with the fundamental question of how far it goes on welfare reform, and all of it is happening at the same time that a leadership contest is under way. | The party is still reeling from the general election result, it's grappling with the fundamental question of how far it goes on welfare reform, and all of it is happening at the same time that a leadership contest is under way. |
| Among the questions is whether the rebellion against Labour's support for some of the welfare cuts, together with Jeremy Corbyn's popularity in the leadership contest, are a sign that it's shifting to the left at a time when many in Labour are saying it needs to move in the other direction. | Among the questions is whether the rebellion against Labour's support for some of the welfare cuts, together with Jeremy Corbyn's popularity in the leadership contest, are a sign that it's shifting to the left at a time when many in Labour are saying it needs to move in the other direction. |
| As ever, the debate over benefits will be a particularly big issue in Wales, which has constituencies with some of the highest welfare-dependency in Britain. | As ever, the debate over benefits will be a particularly big issue in Wales, which has constituencies with some of the highest welfare-dependency in Britain. |
| Peter Hain clearly believes there have been tougher times for the party, but nevertheless his remarks about the lack of excitement in the leadership contest will strike a chord. | Peter Hain clearly believes there have been tougher times for the party, but nevertheless his remarks about the lack of excitement in the leadership contest will strike a chord. |