MP Chris defends his benefit change support

Stirling representative backed controversial measures

- KAIYA MARJORIBANKS

Stirling MP Chris Kane has defended his decision to back the UK Government's controversial benefit changes.

The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, which is expected to be renamed because the measures affecting PIP have been shelved, secured a majority vote in the House of Commons last week after several government climbdowns.

It sparked a backlash from a significant contingent of backbench Labour MPs - but the Stirling and Strathallan MP wasn't one of them.

He later outlined his reasoning for being among those to back the changes, saying: "Changing the welfare system is never simple, but I believe it's necessary.

"Right now, the system isn’t working as it should. It's often unfair, it’s costing more than we can afford in the long run, and it too often traps people in a place where they can’t move forward, when it should be helping them reach their potential.

"At the moment, people sometimes feel they have to prove they can’t work just to get the support they need. Then, once they're out of work, there's little help to get them back in. That's not right - for individuals, families, or our communities.

"This Bill, debated in the House of Commons, takes some important steps to change that, especially after improvements made thanks to backbench MPs."