Wednesday’s Opposition Day debate calling for the universal credit rollout to be paused offers a lesson in how quickly Theresa May’s minority government can become unstuck. In an attempt to kill off a Tory rebellion on the issue of the ill-fated universal credit roll out, David Gauke kicked off his morning announcing DWP is scrapping charges to the benefit helpline. When this wasn’t enough to stop all 25 potential rebels from joining Labour in the division lobbies, the Tories are thought to have issued a three-line whip for MPs to abstain so as to avoid a potential defeat.
In response to this news, opposition parties have been quick to go on the attack, with the Liberal Democrats’ Alistair Carmichael calling the plot an ‘outrageous attempt to subvert democracy’. If the whips’ plan works (and it’s worth noting that only one Tory MP is currently expected to vote with Labour), it will be a small victory for the government.
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