Reform UK labelled ‘racist’ over two-child benefit cap policy

Reform UK has been labeled racist for arguing that the two-child benefit cap should only be lifted for families where both parents are British and in full-time work.

Sian Berry, the Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion, told MPs she wanted to “utterly reject the racist agenda of the Reform members’ objections”.

Labour MP for Peterborough Andrew Pakes called the policy “naked racism” and “an affront to British values”.

Meanwhile, Conservative former minister Kit Malthouse said Reform is calling for “open discrimination” and said the policy would affect his own children , and the children of sitting Reform MPs.

He said: “There is something grotesque about seeking legislation which seeks to downgrade the citizenship of your own children.”

However, a Reform spokesperson said that the policy has “nothing to do with race” and that MPs are “wilfully misrepresenting the policy”.

Reform MP Sarah Pochin backed her party’s policy, arguing that removing the two-child benefit cap entirely rewards those who “play the system”.

She told MPs that birth rates are higher among foreign nationals, so Labour’s policy will mean a “significant amount of this additional expenditure” will go to households where at least one parent is born outside the UK.

The Runcorn and Helsby MP said: “Scrapping the two-child benefit limit does nothing to help hard-working parents who set their alarm clocks every morning and does everything to encourage families already on benefits to have more children in the full knowledge that the state will pay for them.

“Removing the two-child benefit cap without imposing any other restrictions, such as limiting it to working families with British-born parents, fails to incentivise work.

“It increases the support to non-working families beyond that given to working parents earning above the benefit level.

“So those who work are being punished, while those who play the system are rewarded.”

She added: “Due to higher birth rates amongst foreign nationals, a significant amount of this additional expenditure is expected to go to households where at least one parent is born outside the UK.

“Reform will only lift the cap for British families where both parents are in full-time work.”