Welsh MPs voted unanimously against the UK government’s new Universal Credit and PIP bill.

Going against the Labour whip, Welsh Labour MP for Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr Steve Witherden voted against the bill, stating he could not be confident that the bill would not “impoverish some of my disabled constituents”.

The bill would alter allowance rates for universal credit and restrict eligibility for Personal Independence Payments (PIP).

The bill, which was voted through by 75 votes, went through parliament on 1 July after 11th-hour changes to satisfy Labour rebels.

The government had already made major U-turns on the bill, reversing some cuts to Universal Credit and ensuring current claimants of PIP wouldn’t be affected by the incoming stricter eligibility criteria.

The latest changes last night saw the government ensure PIP rules wouldn’t be changed until conclusions from a review could be considered.

MP Witherden said: “With another major government concession on implementing changes to PIP scoring coming only 90 minutes before the vote, I could not be confident – given the short notice – that the bill would not impoverish some of my disabled constituents.

“I now have reasonable confidence that an amended bill will include many welcome reforms to help those who can work, into work, while no longer making savings off the back of PIP recipients who cannot use the toilet without help, eat unaided, or even wash themselves.

“As such, I will now consider whether I can support this bill at its third reading.

“Nevertheless, it is a great shame that the government did not go back to the drawing board in a more ordered and reasoned manner.

“The tax system needs to properly tax wealth, it needs to be simplified, it needs major reform itself to be able to support a modern welfare state that truly looks after the most vulnerable, both now and into the future.

“The government should try starting with how it wants to achieve transformational change in this country and go from there.

“I believe it has done so on wages, on rail and bus renationalisation, on greater rights at work for employees, on water, on trade deals, on EU relations, and much more.

“This was not the case with this bill.

“Thankfully, owing to backbench pressure, the vast majority of disabled people will no longer lose out.

“This is a complex and fast-moving issue, so I would encourage constituents with any questions to get in touch with me by emailing [email protected] to book a surgery or correspond directly.”

All four Plaid Cymru MPs including Ceredigion Preseli MP Ben Lake voted against the bill, which would affect residents in both England and Wales.

Liz Saville Roberts, Plaid Cymru MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, added: “We must do more to help disabled people to play their fullest possible role in society.

“Cutting vital support for the most vulnerable in society is certainly not the way to do that.”

The bill will now go to committee before a third reading next week.