'Axing two-child benefit cap would hit families who play by the rules'

A BID by the SNP to scrap the two-child benefit cap has been supported in the Commons, despite a Leicestershire MP's warning against penalising “working families who play by the rules”.

- By STAFF REPORTER

The SNP’s Kirsty Blackman forced a vote on the issue through a 10-minute rule motion in the Commons on Tuesday, branding the current policy “cruel”.

The Conservatives said they could not support the motion, with Peter Bedford, the Tory MP for Mid Leicestershire, describing the cap as “fair to the hard-pressed taxpayer”.

Introduced in 2015 by then-Conservative chancellor George Osborne, the cap restricts child welfare payments to the first two children born to most families.

Among those who supported Ms Blackman’s Bill were seven Labour MPs, including Richard Burgon (Leeds East), Rebecca Long Bailey (Salford) Imran Hussain (Bradford East) and Nadia Whittome (Nottingham East).