David Gauke despite protests led by backbencher Heidi Allen and 12 other Tory MP's is continuing the much-maligned roll out of Universal Credit. Labour, the Lib-Dems, the CAB and some Tories said the benefit should be suspended in the areas it was up and running.
Designed by Iain Duncan Smith before he had an apparent change of heart and left his job at the DWP this benefit is supposed to replace six existing benefits. In principle, the opponents of Universal Credit do not disagree too much with it replacing other benefits. In fact on paper Universal Credit was meant to simplify benefit so that it could be paid to recipients as one payment instead of a confusing amount of different payments.
What is angering its opponents is that it is taking six weeks for claimants to receive their first instalment leaving them in arrears with bills or rent.
Many are having to borrow off family or other means until their first payment comes through. The rebellion instigated by Hedi Allen failed to stop the rollout of this controversial benefit however the government has said jobcentres will issue discretionary emergency payouts.
Heidi Allen on Radio 4 and at "Prime Ministers Questions" today was still challenging the wiseness of leaving claimants six weeks without payment.
Corbyn and Allen
Jeremy Corbyn, in his weekly questioning of the government, highlighted the struggle of claimants waiting for their first payment of Universal Credit.
He accused Theresa May of ramping up poverty and pleaded with her to think again and change course. She was having none of it, simply saying the jobcentre would handle each case of emergency payment on a case by case basis.
Corbyn accused the Prime Minister of being on another planet and either unaware or totally not caring about the plight of Universal Claimants.
As you watched the arguments back and forth between May and Corbyn you could not help but notice the difference in their style. Corbyn seemingly compassionate, highlighting the case of Georgina who had written into him about her poverty while waiting for Universal credit to be paid. May as cold, hawkish and wooden as ever simply asked Jeremy Corbyn to send her Georgina's details and she would look at her case.
Heidi Allen then got to her feet highlighting the wisdom of claimants having to wait six weeks before they are paid. She said she had no truck with the theory of Universal Credit rolling all benefits into one and said she wanted to meet the Prime Minister about the benefit.
Theresa May agreed to the meeting but when this meeting will come about and what will be said will probably be largely unknown.
Heidi Allens other criticisms of Universal Credit
Heidi Allen is one of the few MP's in the Conservative party who has been a thorn in the side of the Cameron and May government. So much so one pundit asked why she didn't join the Labour party? Heidi Allen simply replied that not all Tories are the same.
Allen's other criticisms of Universal Credit are that the emergency payments are but a sticking plaster. Claimants, once they receive the benefit paid monthly, will have to pay back the emergency payment in installments. Thankfully unlike payday loan companies, there is no high interest but nevertheless, it must be paid back.
If such a thing as compassionate Conservatism exists then Heidi Allen and a few others seem to embody this.
