The Liberal Democrat Mayor of Sandwell has quit the party - and crossed the floor to Labour, in protest at David Cameron’s comments about benefits for cancer patients in the House of Commons.
Lib Dem Councillor Joyce Underhill (Newton) - who took over as mayor last month - and her husband, Councillor Tony Underhill (Newton), who himself has cancer, have resigned from the Liberal Democrats and joined Labour.
Joyce Underhill said: “We have been increasingly disillusioned with the Lib Dems since Nick Clegg went into coalition with the Conservatives.
“We have seen how police cuts here in the West Midlands have been particularly severe and undermine safety.
“But we felt a line was crossed when David Cameron seemed to have no idea of the impact of his own policies on cancer sufferers when he was speaking in the House of Commons yesterday.
"I could not believe the Prime Minister was so dismissive of an issue of this much importance.”
Tony Underhill added: “As someone who is suffering from cancer it seemed to me an insulting and crass position. My wife and I have therefore decided to leave the Liberal Democrats and join Labour in Sandwell.”
A Lib Dem spokesman said: "Obviously this is disappointing, especially as the Government has made clear recovering cancer patients who are assessed as still needing unconditional government support will see no change to their benefit entitlement after 12 months.
"The Lib Dems are also helping cancer patients with the new £200 million cancer drugs fund, boosting the number of cancer specialists, introducing better treatment by expanding access to radiotherapy, improving access to diagnostic tests and committing to keeping the NHS cancer networks to protect patient care."
Under plans put forward by the Government, patients recovering from cancer who are considered to be fit for work will have benefits means tested after they have been claiming for 12 months. In practice, it means those who have partners who work are likely to see their benefits cut.
Labour leader Ed Miliband highlighted the change in the House of Commons, as he quoted research from charity Macmillan Cancer Support, which claims 7,000 people could lose up to £94 a week.
But Labour has also criticised what it regards as the dismissive attitude taken by Mr Cameron, who used the word “smokescreen” to describe the claims.
Tories say he was simply criticising Mr Miliband, not cancer patients.
Mr Cameron told the Commons on Wednesday: “The Leader of the Opposition is attempting to put up a smokescreen because he has been found out. He made a speech this week about the importance of welfare reform, but he cannot take his divided party with him.”
Mr Miliband responded: “What an absolute disgrace, to describe talking about cancer patients in this country as a smokescreen.”
