Heidi Allen’s Hypocrisy on Welfare is Staggering

Heidi Allen MP Crying in the commons
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Former Tory MP Heidi Allen is the Independent Group’s Welfare Spokeswoman. She recent;y put out a video on social media calling for the end of the benefits freeze. What’s staggering is that since 2015 her voting record on welfare has been to cut, scrimp and exclude those with disabilities. Why should we believe a word she says?

Heidi Allen recently went on an “austerity tour” with Independent MP Frank Field, to see the effects that welfare reforms have had on the most vulnerable. This was prior to her leaving the Conservative Party.

But it’s not all that it seems. She recently spoke about the trip to Cambridgeshire Live saying;

“I was running out of ways to get them to see that which is why in recent weeks I have been going around with Frank Field, taking camera crews and media with us to some of the poorest parts of the country to show what Universal credit and welfare was doing to communities.”

Her mention of taking camera crews and the media with her show one thing; it was all about the PR. People are already aware of the extent of the suffering so her “tour” wasn’t going to give us anything new. Considering she and Field sit on The Work and Pensions Committee, there’s little she won’t know about how broken Britain is.

Suddenly a Conscience?

Credit: @TheIndGroup on Twitter

Today saw Allen release a video on the Independent Group’s social media channels. In it she calls for an end to the Benefit Freeze that as I previously reported, was continued as planned by MPs this week. #

What I and many others find odd, is how Allen has changed her mind so much.

Since 2015, she has voted with the government on ‘the vast majority’ of issues. In particular, the record shows that she has:

  • Voted against paying higher benefits for those unable to work due to illness or disability
  • Voted for a reduction in welfare benefits and the benefit freeze
  • Consistently voted to reduce government funding of councils
  • Almost always voted against more powers for councils
  • Consistently voted for phasing out secure tenancies
  • Consistently voted against laws promoting equality and human rights

So now we’re expected to believe that suddenly she’s the woman to back on Welfare? I don’t think so.

Given that the most recent polls show the Independent Group’s support is approximately 7%, this is just more popularity politics.

I have absolute zero trust in an MP who wanted to repeal the Human Rights Act and who also voted to cut the welfare budget and increase nuclear weapons spending in the same vote.

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