“The Conservatives voted to keep the malfunctioning system.”

**Factual core:** The claim asserts that the Conservatives voted against the Labour government's welfare reform legislation, thereby voting to "keep the broken system." **What the evidence shows:** 1. **The Conservatives did vote against the welfare reform bill.** The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill was voted on at second reading on July 1, 2025, passing 335–260. Every Conservative MP was whipped to vote "No," alongside all Liberal Democrat, SNP, Reform UK, Plaid Cymru, and Green MPs. At third reading on July 9, 2025, the bill passed 336–242, with Conservatives again voting against. 2. **However, the Conservatives explicitly did NOT argue for keeping the current system.** Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and her shadow cabinet repeatedly stated that the welfare system *was* broken and needed reform. Their stated reason for voting against the bill was that Labour's proposals were rushed, incoherent, watered-down, and would not achieve meaningful reform. ConservativeHome reported shadow cabinet members saying: "It shouldn't just be about cutting the benefit burden, but actually fixing a broken system that is slowing the economy and trapping people out of work." Helen Whately, the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, wrote: "Labour got two things right in their much-trailed welfare reforms last week. The bill is too high, and the system is broken." Badenoch set three tests for Conservative support (cut spending, boost employment, rule out tax rises) — none were met. 3. **The characterization "voted to keep the broken system" is political framing.** The Conservatives agreed the system was broken but argued Labour's specific bill was the wrong fix. By voting against the bill, they did vote against *these particular reforms*, but they did not advocate for maintaining the status quo. The claim's framing materially misrepresents the Conservatives' stated position — they argued for *different, deeper* reform, not for keeping the existing system. **Verdict assessment:** The factual mechanical claim — that Conservatives voted against the welfare reform bill — is accurate. However, the characterization that they thereby voted "to keep the broken system" is misleading because the Conservatives explicitly acknowledged the system was broken and called for more substantial reform, not preservation of the status quo. This materially affects the impression the claim gives. Sources: - BBC News, "Government wins vote on watered-down welfare bill after concessions" — https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly8877x3z2o - BBC News, "Government's diluted welfare bill clears House of Commons" — https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm2zyvypmeeo - BBC News, "Starmer faces Labour revolt despite welfare climbdown" — https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62889vm3nno - Reuters, "Starmer wins vote on UK welfare reform but suffers damaging rebellion" — https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-pm-starmer-wins-vote-parliament-welfare-reform-2025-07-01/ - ConservativeHome, "Why the Tories won't be voting for welfare reform" — https://conservativehome.com/2025/07/01/why-the-tories-wont-be-voting-for-welfare-reform/ - ConservativeHome, Helen Whately: "It's clear that the Conservatives will have to do the serious thinking on welfare" — https://conservativehome.com/2025/03/24/helen-whately-its-clear-that-the-conservatives-will-have-to-do-the-serious-thinking-on-welfare/ - Beyond The Vote, "Universal Credit and Personal Independent Payment Bill: Second Reading" — https://www.beyondthevote.co.uk/division/2074 - The Guardian, "Welfare bill passes final reading as 47 Labour MPs rebel despite further concessions" — https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/jul/09/ministers-offer-another-concession-to-enshrine-safeguards-for-disabled-in-flagship-welfare-bill - The Independent, "Rattled Starmer scrapes through on welfare reform after last-minute concession to rebel MPs" — https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/keir-starmer-welfare-reform-bill-vote-result-labour-rebels-b2780523.html