Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride has hit out at Labour's "chaotic" welfare reforms, warning that British taxpayers will "pay the price" if the crunch vote passes.
Outlining the proposed £2.5billion reforms on Monday, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said the Labour Government want a "fair society" for Britons.
Speaking to GB News, Mel Stride explained why the Conservatives are doubling down on their decision to vote against the reforms.
Stride told host Martin Daubney: "We have very low expectations of everything this Government does. It's not principle welfare reform. You have to be thoughtful and do it properly if you're going to reform something that's going to affect millions of people.
Mel Stride has warned that 'taxpayers will pay the price' for Labour's welfare reforms
GB News
"Firstly, it's not going to save enough money. The welfare bills are still going to be spiralling ever upwards, and the second thing is it's actually going to be very unfair to some vulnerable people who are going to get caught up in the sheer bluntness of the way in which they pulled at this lever at the last minute to try and make the savings."
In a pointed criticism of Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Stride claimed that she has "mismanaged the economy", and used the benefits bill to "patch up" her mistakes.
Stride said: "Make no mistake, what has actually happened here is they've mismanaged the economy.
"Rachel Reeves has blown all that fiscal headroom she had, and in order to try and patch it up, she turned around at the very last minute and said to DWP, find me £5billion. That's not what should drive a welfare policy.
"It should not be scrabbling around for money at the last minute as they've been forced into it should be proper, principled reform. And on that basis, we vote against."
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
MPs will vote on the reforms to Labour's Benefits Bill later today
Parliament TV
Highlighting the soaring costs of Pip benefits claimants, host Martin Daubney told Stride that the costs began to surge "under the Conservatives", which Stride stated was due to the "Covid pandemic".
Stride told GB News: "When we were in power and I was secretary of State at Work and Pensions, we had actually started a consultation on how to reform Pip. And my concern was that Pip was far too blunt as a benefit.
"It was cash transfer payments to lots of people with lots of different conditions, some of whom would be much better, for example, if it was a mental health condition, getting some kind of support rather than simply cash.
"That happened back when the pandemic was on, when it was physically impossible to meet face to face. Yes, that is part of the issue, but it all comes back to fundamental reform."
Outlining two ways to reform Pip benefits, Stride added: "Firstly, target appropriate support on those that need it, but secondly, get the bills down because the welfare bill, including with Pip, is spiralling ever upwards."
Stride told GB News that Labour must reform welfare 'properly' and not 'last minute'
GB News
Delivering a stark warning for the impact of the proposed reforms on Britons, Stride cautioned: "They originally started at about £5billion in savings, it's fallen to £2.5billion.
"What matters is where it lands at the end of something called the forecast period, so rather than what happens in the early years of the change, but you've got to assume it's hundreds of millions of pounds being cut.
"At the end of the day, all your viewers need to know is this bungling, this chaos is going to lead to more tax rises in the autumn.
"So taxpayers up and down the country working hard, are going to pay the price for all that we're discussing."
Most Read
