Dear PM, thanks for the welfare concessions, but I still won’t vote for your bill. Scrap the whole thing | Richard Burgon

Your government is choosing to balance the books on the backs of disabled people. That’s not the country we are supposed to be building

• Richard Burgon is Labour MP for Leeds East

In the face of growing opposition, the government finally stopped ignoring the warnings from its own backbenchers and made changes to its disability benefits bill. No one doubts these concessions are welcome. But the real question is whether they go far enough. For me and many of my Labour colleagues, the answer is clear – they don’t.

At best, these concessions make a terrible bill slightly less bad. But the bill still represents a devastating attack on disabled people. It still strips billions in support from those who need it most, still forces huge numbers into poverty, and still undermines the dignity and independence of disabled people. As an example of just how cruel these cuts still are, MPs will be asked to vote on Tuesday for a bill that will take away essential support from disabled people who will need help with basic daily tasks such as cutting up food, washing themselves or using the toilet.

Richard Burgon is the MP for Leeds East and secretary of the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs

One year of Labour, with Pippa Crerar, Rafael Behr and more On 9 July, join Pippa Crerar, Rafael Behr, Frances O’Grady and Salma Shah as they look back at one year of the Labour government and plans for the next three years Continue reading...