Open Letter to Labour Party Leadership

Dear Labour Party Leadership,

We the undersigned are members of the Labour Party. We are seeking clarification on the position of Labour leadership on the welfare cuts proposed in June’s emergency budget, and the Spending Review that took place on Wednesday 21st October.

Alan Johnson, Alistair Darling and Ed Milliband have publicly stated that Labour policy is that 20% cuts across departments would be achieved by focusing on the welfare budget in the way the coalition government have done.

The changes to Employment Support Allowance were described by Alan Johnson as progress, and Labour have not publicly stated that they oppose the change in calculation of Local Housing Allowance from the median of local rents, to the lowest third. Alan Johnson again described changes to housing benefit and Local Housing Allowance announced in June, as necessary.

There has been opposition to the additional 10% cut in Local Housing Allowance for Jobseekers Allowance claimants who have been claiming for 12 months, but no opposition to the change in Local Housing Allowance which will push pensioners, low paid employed people, single parents, people with disabilities and those too ill to work, into homelessness, debt, and abject poverty.

I would also like clarification of Labour's position on the reduction in subsidies for rail and bus travel, which allow those of us in rural areas to get to work,

While Labour rhetoric is of general opposition to the cuts proposed, Labour leadership has repeatedly refused to oppose the worst of these measures. Focus has remained on child benefit to high earners, and other ‘middle class benefits’.

We would like clarification on Labour’s policy regarding these issues.

If Labour do support these changes, and will not be publicly opposing them, I would like them to be clear about this, so that those of us affected can look elsewhere for political representation. It is cruel and misleading to allow the most vulnerable people in our society to believe that Labour offer an alternative in this event.

If Labour do oppose these measures, we would like them to clarify this publicly.