Budget Resolutions

Ian Lavery Excerpts

Tuesday 2nd December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Ian Lavery (Blyth and Ashington) (Lab)]

I am listening to this debate and I am discombobulated—I really, really am. The shadow Minister, the right hon. Member for Daventry (Stuart Andrew) spoke for 20 minutes, but he never mentioned why his party—and others—absolutely opposes withdrawing the two-child cap. In this country, we have kids suffering from scurvy, beriberi and rickets, among many other diseases caused by malnutrition. And you know what? He has opposed lifting children out of poverty. You’re an absolute disgrace.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Caroline Nokes)]

Order. Mr Lavery, you will be aware that you have just called me an absolute disgrace with that phrase. I am taking it badly.

[Ian Lavery]

Madam Deputy Speaker, I would never dream of calling you a disgrace—you are far from that—but I was pointing at the two Gentlemen on the Opposition Front Bench, the right hon. Member for Daventry and the hon. Member for North Bedfordshire (Richard Fuller).

Getting back to the reality, why did the right hon. Gentleman not mention why the Opposition oppose that, in a country where we are one of the richest economies in the world? Why are we not feeding the kids? Why are we not making sure that kids in every constituency in this country are fed when they get into school and get equal opportunities to fill their bellies and learn, and get better opportunities later on? Why? Why did the Conservative party and the media in the press over the weekend continually have a go at the Labour party about “benefit street”? Typical. Reverting to type. Well, I’ll tell you something, Madam Deputy Speaker: 3,000 kids in my constituency of Blyth and Ashington will benefit greatly as a result of just that one policy. I am proud that we looked at that and that we have done exactly what we have done. I just cannot believe people oppose it. I used to have loads of respect for at least one of those on the Opposition Front Bench.

With the time I have left, I would like to mention the efforts of Labour Front Benchers on the inclusion of the BCSSS—the British coal staff superannuation scheme—and the pensions for many mineworkers who worked underground. As the Labour party promised in the 2024 manifesto, the mineworkers’ pension scheme has now agreed to pay the money back from the special reserve fund to the pensioners themselves. It is a great move. People will remember this. For 14 years, the Conservative party refused to pay a single ha’penny to miners who had worked their socks off in the pursuit of black coal for this country.

There is a lot to do. We need to look at a wealth tax. We need to make sure that these billionaires and millionaires are not left out. And if they want to go to Dubai, Madam Deputy Speaker, then bye, bye—nick off to Dubai!