"It's absolutely abhorrent...": Angela Rayner slams 'inhumane' rule which affects hundreds of mothers

Angela Rayner has slammed an "abhorrent" rule which forces some women to declare their child was conceived as a result of rape to receive benefits.

Shocking figures showed that 900 women in the UK were forced to disclose that they had been raped in order to receive social security benefits.

Rayner, MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, has now pledged that Labour would look into scrapping the benefit requirement as she committed the party's focus to tackling violence against women and girls.

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The deputy Labour leader described the rape clause, which exists under the UK Government’s two-child cap on universal and child tax credits, as 'absolutely abhorrent.'

The clause was introduced to enable women whose third or subsequent child was conceived through sexual assault to gain exemption from the limit. Other exemptions exist for multiple births and adoptions.

Following its introduction, the clause triggered furious reaction from campaigners and rape charities, who are argue the policy is 'inhumane' and 'traumatising.'

Scottish National party MP Alison Thewliss, who first identified the 'rape clause', called it 'one of the most inhumane and barbaric policies ever to emanate from Whitehall,' the Guardian reports.

Speaking to journalists, Ms Rayner said Labour will have an 'absolute focus' on tackling violence against women and girls if elected at the next general election - with part of that including looking into the fairness of the clause, the PA news agency reports.

During a visit to the Royal Strathclyde Blindcraft Industries training college in Glasgow, Ms Rayner said: "We’ve got to have policies in this country that are humane and