Keighley MP Ann Cryer joined 65 Labour back-benchers who rebelled against the government's welfare bill.

She was one of a group which staged the biggest revolt - against plans to cut benefits for the disabled - since the general election. The government won by only 310-270.

The rebels were showing their displeasure at plans to introduce an element of means-testing and restricted access to incapacity benefit. The battle raged over the plan to remove the right to benefit for anyone who has not made at least some national insurance contributions in the previous two years and the other is to reduce gradually benefit for those receiving an occupational pension of £50 or more a week.

Mrs Cryer says she is opposed to the plan to bring in means-testing and the reduction in benefits for people with occupational benefits. "It goes against what I believe is intrinsic Labour policy which is that benefits should be universal," she says. "It's a further erosion of the principle of universal benefits towards means testing."

I am totally opposed to that.''

A Downing Street spokesman said the government was elected on a manifesto which included reform of the welfare system.

""It's a good bill. It's principled and right. It will deliver more help to those who need it most and we will press on with it.''

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