Welfare Reform Bill

The right hon. Lady's party has just voted against it in the last Division. I do not know what planet she is on—it is quite extraordinary. The test of whether the Opposition support the Bill is whether they vote for it. How could it be less complicated? Her party's leader said that the Bill would go through only with the Opposition's support. They tried to have a political strategy of having their cake and eating it, but it has exploded in the faces of her and her leader. They oppose the welfare reform proposals. When we pointed out that they were opposing treatment for people who are addicted to drugs, the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell said in the Daily Express on Thursday 11 December—I can quote the article if the right hon. Lady wants—that we were "window dressing" and that we should simply "apply the current rules". When we outlined what the Opposition were effectively opposing, they beat a retreat because they were embarrassed. When we pointed out that they opposed ensuring that passports and driving licences could be taken away from deadbeat dads, they were embarrassed and ran away from that position. Tonight, they were not clever enough to work out that their political strategy would expose the fact that they are not serious about welfare reform. That is what we conclude from the debate.