A MOVE to “condemn” the Government’s scrapping of the Universal Credit uplift sparked heated debate among councillors.

Labour members urged the Durham County Council to condemn the £20 uplift removal, which they said would “hammer” working people.

Their Conservative counterparts accused them of “political posturing” at a council meeting.

Eventually the council voted not to condemn the end of the £20 uplift but to “disagree, question and challenge” the decision.

Labour’s Cllr Angela Surtees brought the original motion, pointing to increasing levels of poverty. She said: “The decision to remove this uplift now is just simply not right.

“We’re constantly bombarded with images of grinning Conservative ministers and MPs posing at food banks while full-time key workers queue for handouts in the background.

“The removal of the £20 Universal Credit uplift is just hammering our working class. The majority of the recipients of the uplift are working.”

Fellow Labour member Cllr Robert Adcock-Forster spoke of crises in public health, energy and families “pushed into hardship” losing over £1,000 from their budgets.

“The decision to cut Universal Credit was always a cruel policy but to go ahead with the cut at this time is immoral.

“The Conservative party must change course and protect families in our communities.

“The cut to Universal Credit is a policy of economic self-harm and shows the Government is, in reality, levelling down local economies in County Durham.

“Over 50,000 families have been affected in County Durham, taking over £50m a year our of the local economy.”

Also supporting the motion, Labour Cllr Rob Crute said: “The clear message is that the Tories are not on your side. They are deliberately making life difficult for working people so I think we need to make a stand here.

“They need to be condemned.”

Lib Dem Cllr Mark Wilkes argued ending the uplift could cost more than it would save: “There’s still time for the government to change direction and I sincerely hope that they do.”

Conservative Cllr Richard Bell said the motion was a “waste of time” if it did nothing but condemn.

He said: “You think the government is actually sitting there watching for minutes of this meeting? You aren’t even writing to the government to tell them what you think.”

The Durham Group’s Cllr Alan Shield, cabinet member for equality and inclusion, said the motion used “understandable emotive wording”.

He proposed an amendment that the council “disagrees, questions and challenges” the uplift decision while working with partners and stakeholders to prevent hardship and minimise impact on incomes.

He said the joint administration had written to the Prime Minister, Chancellor and ministers to highlight the effect on residents and the economy.

He added: “We will work tirelessly with our residents to protect their safety, security and wellbeing and we move further into recovery.”

Labour councillors said the amendment diluted or even negated the original motion to condemn the end of the uplift.

Cllr Fraser Tinsley said: “Let’s not beat around the bush here. You know that this is going to hammer people you represent.

“It absolutely needs to be condemned. This is going to take over £1,000 out of people’s pockets who are least able to afford this in County Durham.”

Cllr Carl Marshall said it was a choice to “stand with our working people” and condemn the uplift’s end or back it and its “catastrophic” impact.

Cllr Maura McKeon said: “’Disagrees, questions, challenges.’ I’m sorry, it’s not a seminar, this is people’s lived experiences in poverty.

“This is whether or not they can pay their heating bills in the cold winter. We’re tut-tutting about this when we should be condemning it.

“This is the moment when we stand up and we say, actually the people of County Durham come first. Let’s have a bit of courage.”

Cllr Kevin Earley was blunter still, saying: “Suck it up. You’re supporting a Tory government.

“Either say where you are or just keep hiding. You can’t be your own opposition on everything.

“This £20 is a disgrace. £20 when you’ve got nowt is a lot of money, and I urge you all to look to your consciences.”

Cllr Bell hit back for the Conservatives, saying: “This is not the House of Commons. We’re not sitting on green benches. We’re sitting on grey chairs in Spennymoor Leisure Centre.

“To condemn a government decision without proposing any action for what this council would do to ameliorate it is frankly just political posturing.

“We actually do care, and we care demonstrably more because we’re about doing things and action, not just talk so you can put it on your Facebook page after a meeting.

“That is the significant difference between all the parties in the joint administration and the Labour party. We’re about action and helping, you’re about talking and posturing.”

Independent Cllr Pete Molloy said merely condemning the uplift removal was “just wagging the finger at Government” and did not suggest any alternative action.

One attendee of the meeting was told to stop booing or be asked to leave before a majority of councillors voted for the amended motion to “disagree, question and challenge” the uplift decision.

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated County Durham Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054