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Labour rebels defy leadership in welfare vote

48 Labour rebels have defied the party leadership to vote against the Government's welfare reforms.

Leadership contender Jeremy Corbyn was among the MPs to ignore interim leader Harriet Harman's call for them to abstain in the Commons second reading vote on the Welfare Reform and Work Bill.

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Farron: Lib Dems will oppose £12bn welfare cuts

Tim Farron said his MPs will oppose the bill. Credit: Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Liberal Democrat MPs will vote against the government's proposed £12 billion welfare cuts, new leader Tim Farron has said.

"The truth is the Tories do not have to cut £12 billion from welfare: they are choosing to," Farron said.

He also accused Labour of "silence" on the issue, after stand-in leader Harriet Harman proposed an amendment to the bill, but no plans to oppose it in the main vote.

"The Liberal Democrats will always stand up for families. We will not let the Conservatives, through choice, and the Labour Party, through silence, unpick our welfare system."

The Liberal Democrats' power in parliament was significantly weakened at the last election, with the party's number of MPs falling from 57 to eight.

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