Today, I voted against the Government’s appalling cut to Universal Credit which is cruel, illogical and unnecessary. The cut will cost 5,092 families on low incomes across Dulwich and West Norwood £20 a week forcing them further into poverty and hardship. It will take away £13m which would be spent in our local shops, and will leave some of the keyworkers including care workers, shop staff and classroom assistants facing a terrible choice between heating their homes this winter or putting food on the table. 

The Government has had more than a decade to address the causes of poverty.  They should be raising the minimum wage to the level of the real living wage, tackling the cost of housing and childcare and putting an end to insecure work and zero hours contracts. #cancelthecut