‘A grotesque indignity to women’: Rachel Reeves scraps dehumanising rape clause

Rachel Reeves hit out at the “grotesque” rape clause tied to the two-child cap policy during her Budget speech. Speaking to the Commons on Wednesday (26 November), the Chancellor slammed the policy, which means a parent or carer has to prove a child was conceived non-consensually to receive a benefit. “I will not tolerate the grotesque indignity to women of the rape clause any longer. It is dehumanising. It is cruel,” she said. She said she would remove the two-child benefit cap from April, a move that will increase the benefits for 560,000 families by an average of £5,310, the OBR has calculated.