BOLTON’s two Labour MPs have defended their decision to abstain from voting on the government’s Welfare Bill amid criticism they have “let voters down.”

Both Yasmin Qureshi and David Crausby opted not to vote against the bill which seeks to cut £12 billion from Britain’s welfare spending.

That decision has drawn criticism from Bolton’s Green Party leader Alan Johnson, who said that abstaining was “more or less supporting a Tory bill that is an outright attack on vulnerable people.”

He added: “This bill will affect everyday working people who will have their benefits capped and I am absolutely disgusted that the Labour MPs in Bolton would not vote against it — they have let their constituents down.”

Both MPs have given different reasons for their decision.

Mr Crausby, who represents Bolton North East, said he believes the bill is “a bad piece of legislation that will make life harder for people in and out of work, and push more children into poverty.”

He disagreed with a stance from acting Labour leader Harriet Harman arguing that Labour MPs should abstain.

He added: “My colleague Helen Goodman drafted an amendment to the Bill which expressed our opposition and, if passed, would stop the Bill from progressing — I was one of 40 MPs to add my name to this amendment.

“Thankfully this had a positive effect and the acting leader was convinced to table her own amendment, rejecting the worst excesses of this legislation.

“This significant shift in position by the acting leader was only made possible in exchange for our abstention on the second reading, with the understanding that Labour MPs will seek to amend the Bill for the better during the committee stage and that we will be free to fully oppose it at the third reading if the Government refuse to back these changes.”

Bolton South East MP Ms Qureshi said she abstained because of a government commitment on apprenticeships within the legislation.

She said: “If the bill had been rejected then that part would have gone and I think it is a good thing.

“The bill will now go to the committee stage when we can try to put all the amendments in regarding the parts that we don’t like.

“I can make a promise to my constituents that if the changes I want do not occur then I will vote against it at the third reading — no matter what my party says.

“People should know that I am not party fodder, as a new MP I voted against the Libya intervention despite a heavy three-line whip, because I make decisions on what I feel is right.”