Hertford and Stortford MP Josh Dean responds to benefit rebel question

MP Josh Dean says he will “closely scrutinise” what the Government’s proposed benefit cuts as part of its welfare reforms will mean for his constituents in Hertford and Stortford.

His North East Herts constituency neighbour and party colleague, Chris Hinchliff, has already promised he will vote against the cuts outlined by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her Spring Statement.

He said: “If the Government chooses to bring harmful disability benefit cuts to Parliament, I will not vote to make my constituents poorer. I will vote against these proposals.”

Mr Hinchliff, whose consituency includes Little Hadham, Braughing, Standon and Puckeridge, said the changes were “morally wrong”.

The Indie asked Mr Dean if he would also rebel. He responded: “I want to be clear that the proposed changes recently announced by the Government will not result in immediate changes to anyone’s benefits.

“I also want to reassure residents that I am closely scrutinising what these proposals will mean for our residents in Hertford and Stortford ahead of any vote. I understand that votes are due in the coming weeks and months, and I will, of course, keep residents up to date when any such votes take place.”

In his latest fortnightly column for the Indie, Mr Dean said that the Government’s proposed reforms to the welfare system in its Pathways to Work Green Paper were “a long way from becoming law”.

He said: “Fourteen years of damaging and dehumanising rhetoric on benefits from the Conservative Party has left many people feeling anxious when they hear about potential changes to the welfare system.

“We must be honest about the broken state of the welfare system this Labour Government has inherited from the Conservatives. It’s failing the people it’s supposed to support and trapping many sick and disabled people who want to work into inactivity instead of offering them the long-term support that would enable them to do so.”

Mr Dean said that he welcomed Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall’s announcement of a £1 billion investment in employment support. “This is one of the largest ever investments to increase opportunities for sick and disabled people, guaranteeing high-quality, tailored assistance to help people on a pathway to work.”

He said that there was “much to welcome” in the Green Paper, including an above-inflation increase in the basic rate of Universal Credit for the first time; an end to the indignity of repeated PIP (Personal Independence Payment) reassessments for those who will never be able to work and proposals for an additional Universal Credit premium to provide them with life-long support; and the Right to Try, ensuring that people can try a new job without fearing it will lead to an automatic reassessment of their existing benefits if it does not work out.

“This represents a fundamental shift in the way we approach welfare in Britain,” he said. “Under the Conservatives’ watch, the welfare system was punitive and outdated, forcing people to prove they could not work rather than giving them the support needed. Rather than investing in people, the Conservatives chose to write them off.

“It is right that the Government fixes this broken system so that it works for everyone, ensuring fairness and dignity, with real opportunities for those who want to work, while protecting those who we know cannot. That is the kind of social security system I believe in.”

He concluded: “While I welcome the news that the Government will not be means-testing or freezing PIP, there are areas where I intend to ask questions of colleagues in Government relating to changes to PIP assessments from 2026 and proposed eligibility criteria.”

The Indie also asked Harlow MP Chris Vince – whose constituency includes the Hallingburys, Hatfield Broad Oak, Hatfield Heath, Sheering, Lower Sheering and Matching – how he will vote, but he has not yet responded.

Ms Reeves wants to tighten qualification rules for PIPs and cut health-related Universal Credit for new claimants. She told MPs: “We are reforming our welfare system, making it more sustainable, protecting the most vulnerable and supporting more people back into secure work, lifting them out of poverty.”

A Department for Work and Pensions assessment found 3.2 million families across England and Wales would be worse off as a result of the changes, with 250,000 more people pushed into relative poverty.

A consultation on the welfare reform proposals is under way. The deadline for responses is June 30. You can find out more at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/pathways-to-work-reforming-benefits-and-support-to-get-britain-working-green-paper.