Glenda Jackson, Labour Member of Parliament for Hampstead & Kilburn, has spoken out again in the House of Commons against the badly thought-out Housing Benefit reforms which the Tory Lib-Dem government are still trying to push through.

Ms Jackson accused Mr Cameron of “proselytising myths” about families who were on housing benefits of up to £2000 per week when in actual fact there are no families receiving that sum and fewer than 90 families across the whole of London receiving £1000 per week, and these were cases of extremely large families or special circumstances such as wheelchair users.

“We have been here before. We have seen all this before. An earlier submission by Crisis pointed out that it will cost £60 a day for a room in a bed and breakfast. Let us look back to the earlier history of bed and breakfasts… I am intrigued to know how the hon. Gentleman thinks it will benefit low-paid hard-working families who are not claiming housing benefit if we make low-paid hard-working families who are on housing benefit both unemployed and homeless”.

After the debate, Glenda Jackson MP pointed out that “in politics we have become accustomed to the Government ignoring whatever the opposition says, but it is shocking that this Government is ignoring not only the opposition but also the advice and reports from Crisis, Shelter, the Chartered Institute of Housing, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the CAB. They are bloody-mindedly keeping their heads down and listening to no-one else. Sadly, it is the vulnerable who will suffer and, in the name of cuts, they do not seem to care”.

Furthermore, the Government propose raising rents in the Social Housing sector to 80% of the market rate and remove secure tenancies.

The response from constituents of Hampstead and Kilburn on this issue has been astronomical. Glenda Jackson has spoken to several single mums who have been actively looking for jobs for over one year who will suffer Housing Benefit cuts of 10% under the new regime meaning they could potentially end up homeless.

The Labour Opposition Day debate to bring forward “revised proposals for the reform of housing benefit which do not penalise those who have been unable to secure employment within 12 months” was defeated by a majority of 61 votes last night in the House of Commons.

For a copy of the full speech by Glenda in the House of Commons, please click to the icon on the right.