The Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale Tim Farron was ‘proud’ to vote against the Government’s ‘appalling’ welfare cuts.

Former Liberal Democrats leader Tim Farron has disagreed with the Labour Governments The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill voting against it.

Tim Farron said: “I’m sorry but if we can’t continue to provide funding to support people with conditions like Parkinsons to wash and get dressed then we might as well give up being a civilised country.

“Yes we need to bring the benefits bill down. We do that by growing the economy, getting people into work, and building more genuinely affordable homes so that we aren’t having to subsidise hard working people who are nevertheless on the cusp of poverty.

“But that’s not what last night’s vote was about.

“It was about whether disabled people would continue to get the vital support they need to live their lives with dignity.”

The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill was supported by Penrith and Solway MP Markus Campbell-Savours, Carlisle MP Julie Minns, Barrow and Furness MP Michelle Scrogham and Whitehaven and Workington MP Josh MacAlister.