Lib Dems vote against scrapping bedroom tax
Liberal Democrat members have voted overwhelmingly against pledging to scrap the bedroom tax outright.
The party’s manifesto will promise to reform the policy so it only applies to those who have turned down a suitable offer of alternative accommodation, with blanket exemptions for some disabled people.
But an amendment to scrap the benefit reduction outright for both social housing and private sector tenants was rejected by members at the manifesto debate at the party conference in Glasgow today.
Speaking against the amendment, Lord Mike German, co-chair of the Work and Pensions Committee, said: ‘The biggest problem with this amendment is that it attaches the private sector to the social housing sector.
‘If private sector landlords were faced with the prospect of making an alternative offer of accommodation to tenants if their circumstances changed, they would be very reluctant to take on these tenants.’
Despite vigorous applause for a speech backing the amendment by Gareth Epps, co-chair of the Social Liberal Forum, members overwhelmingly voted to reject it.
The party’s manifesto, which contains a pledge to build 300,000 homes annually, was also overwhelmingly passed by members.
