Burnham‑On‑Sea’s MP Ashley Fox has defended the two‑child benefit cap during a House of Commons debate on the Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill.
Speaking during the discussion, Ashley warned that Labour’s proposal to scrap the cap would significantly increase welfare spending without addressing long‑term affordability or fairness to taxpayers.
He said the benefits system should remain a safety net for those facing genuine hardship, but argued it must also be fair to the people who fund it through their taxes.
He highlighted forecasts showing that spending on health and disability benefits alone is expected to reach £100 billion a year by the end of the decade, warning that removing the cap would add further pressure to already stretched public finances.
Ashley told MPs: “The benefits system is a safety net designed to support people in hardship, but a fair system must balance that with the needs of those who pay for it.”
He also defended the principle behind the two‑child limit, saying it reflects personal responsibility and ensures fairness between families in work and those receiving benefits. He argued that many working families make decisions about having children based on what they can afford, and that the welfare system should not remove that consideration.
During his speech, the MP also criticised Labour’s wider economic approach, pointing to rising public spending, higher taxes and increased borrowing since the election. He warned that these pressures would ultimately fall on working people and future generations.
Concluding his remarks, Ashley said: “We need to reduce the size of the state so that it does less but does it better.”
