UK’s House of Lords hands Cameron defeat on tax credit cuts

  • By GREGORY KATZ and JILL LAWLESS
  • Tuesday, October 27, 2015 1:01am
  • NewsNation-World

LONDON — Britain’s unelected House of Lords dealt a strong defeat to Prime Minister David Cameron’s government — and provoked a constitutional squabble —on Monday by voting to delay a cut in tax credits.

The 307 to 277 vote in favor of halting the cuts pending an independent review put the House of Lords in a rare clash with the elected House of Commons, which backed the measure, part of the Conservative government’s spending cuts aimed at reducing Britain’s deficit.

The cuts would slash $6.8 billion in tax credits for parents and people in low-income jobs. The opposition Labour Party opposed the move, saying it would leave up to 3 million people hundreds of dollars a year worse off.

A growing number of Conservative politicians have also argued against the measure, saying it would weaken the party’s claim to represent working people.

The government claims the cuts will be offset by other measures, including a higher minimum wage.

After an emotional debate, the House of Lords took the unusual step of refusing to back a Commons’ vote involving fiscal matters. The Conservatives have a majority in the Commons but not in the Lords, whose members are mostly political appointees, with a smattering of hereditary nobles, judges and clergy.

Treasury chief George Osborne, who championed the cuts, conceded defeat and said he would introduce measures to lessen their impact on working people.

“I said I would listen and that’s precisely what I intend to do,” he said.

But Osborne said the Lords’ vote “raises constitutional issues that need to be dealt with.”

In the House of Commons, Conservative lawmaker Edward Leigh said the rights of legislators were being trampled by the unelected Lords.

“Not for 100 years has the House of Lords defied this elected House,” he said after the Lords’ vote tally was announced.

By tradition, the House of Lords can only revise, and not overturn, legislation passed by the Commons. But the tax-credit changes take the form of new regulations rather than a new law, so members of the Lords asserted they have the power to stop them.

Labour Treasury spokesman John McDonnell had urged the government to do a “U-turn” on the measures to protect British workers.

“These are people who go to work, look after their kids, do everything asked of them and they are going to lose, on average, about 1,300 pounds ($2,000) a year,” he said.

More in News

(Juneau Empire file photo)
Aurora forecast through the week of Nov. 3

These forecasts are courtesy of the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Geophysical Institute… Continue reading

The Boney Courthouse building in Anchorage holds the Alaska Supreme Court chambers. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Three nominated for upcoming vacancy on Alaska Supreme Court

Dunleavy has 45 days to make final selection; will make the court majority female for first time.

Karen Brewer-Tarver, a partner with the Juneau-based accounting firm Elgee Rehfeld, presents results from a third-party audit of the Juneau School District for past fiscal year to the Juneau Board of Education’s Finance Committee on Thursday night. (Screenshot from Juneau School District livestream)
Positive ending: School district emerges from fiscal crisis with first audit without a deficit in years

Report finds lingering problems with “internal controls,” recommends more staff and refining procedures.

Dan Allard (left) and Philip Martinez (center) from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers listen to John Bohan, an engineer with the City and Borough of Juneau, as the three men provide information about flood barriers to Juneau Assembly members during a meeting Monday night at City Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Experts address flood barrier concerns of Assembly, will meet with residents next week

Advice for homeowners seeking to protect themselves to be offered by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

William Todd Hunt guides the Taku Winds ensemble through a rehearsal of music by Indigenous composers on Tuesday evening at Thunder Mountain Middle School. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Taku Winds will be blowing wildly this weekend with concert featuring Indigenous composers

“Eagles, Ravens and Wolf” scheduled at 7 p.m. Saturday at Thunder Mountain Middle School

Þorsteinn Þorsteinsson looks at a moulin on the Sólheimajökull glacier on Oct. 20. A moulin, or glacier mill, is a crevasse through which water enters a glacier from the surface. (Jasz Garrett / For the Juneau Empire)
Breaching a gap of 3,296 miles: Iceland’s experience with jökulhlaups

Glacial outburst floods a threat there for more than 1,100 years — what can Juneau learn from them?

Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, speaks to members of the Senate majority caucus’ leadership group on Friday, April 12, 2024. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
Education, energy and elections among priorities of Alaska Senate’s post-election agenda

Senate’s previous bipartisan majority will continue, albeit a bit smaller, after election.

A statue of William Henry Seward stands outside the Dimond Courthouse in downtown Juneau. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)
Juneau man gets 18-year prison sentence for sexual abuse of a minor

Craig Foster, 63, pleaded guilty to charge involving girl between 9 and 11 years old.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Police calls for Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

Most Read