Ten Labour MPs join open revolt on stripping winter fuel allowance from pensioners ahead of showdown vote next week – but Angela Rayner says government WON’T U-turn.H
Keir Starmer is facing a growing Labour revolt over stripping the winter fuel allowance from millions of pensioners.
Ten of the party’s MPs have now signed an early day motion calling for the plan to be dropped and warning of the impact on society’s most vulnerable.
Several left-wingers already suspended by the PM over a separate rebellion have also signalled their opposition. A showdown vote is expected early next week, although given Sir Keir’s huge majority the result is not in doubt.
Angela Rayner again rejected demands for a rethink this morning as she toured broadcast studios, saying the government had to balance the books.
Only pensioners on incomes low enough to receive pension credit will get winter fuel payments worth up to £300 this year, despite fears that many will be forced to choose between heating and eating.
The government had initially batted away calls from the Tories and Lib Dems to put the issue before the Commons.
Angela Rayner again rejected demands for a rethink on winter fuel payments this morning as she toured broadcast studios, saying the government had to balance the books
Ten Labour MPs have now signed an early day motion calling for the plan to be dropped and warning of the impact on society’s most vulnerable
Instead ministers were going to force the move to means test the benefit through using a so-called ‘negative’ statutory instrument.
However, senior sources now believe a vote could be held as early as Tuesday. There had been doubts over whether the government could avoid a showdown, with the Conservatives able to use Opposition time to force a division.
Sir Keir was accused of ‘choosing’ to hand cash ‘highly-paid’ train drivers instead of helping pensioners heat their homes during bruising PMQs clashes yesterday.
The premier was berated by Rishi Sunak for axing winter fuel allowance in the first session since Parliament returned from its summer break.
A rattled Sir Keir was jeered as he repeatedly referred to Mr Sunak as ‘the Prime Minister’, insisting the government has to take ‘tough decisions to stabilise the economy’.
The Tory leader shot back that the economy was in better shape than most competitors.
Asked afterwards why Sir Keir had called Mr Sunak ‘PM’ five times, a No10 spokesman said ‘old habits die hard’.
The exchanges came as ministers were slammed for ‘making excuses’ by briefing that the state pension will rise by £400 in April.
Ms Rayner said the Government would not ‘play fast and loose’ with the nation’s finances as she defended the decision to means test pensioners’ winter fuel payments.
She told BBC Breakfast: ‘We have to make sure that we can fiscally be responsible, so that we can grow our economy, so that we can pay for our public services.
‘And we said that in the run up to the general election. What we didn’t realise is that absolute mess the Tories had left the… state of the finances, and we’re having to make difficult decisions.
‘But we were very clear in the run-up to the general election, we wouldn’t play fast and loose with the country’s finances – because that’s what the Tories did, and that’s why we’re in this mess in the first place – and that we will do everything we can to grow our economy.’
She said the Government was taking action to support pensioners, with the household support fund extended to ‘help people who maybe are not entitled to pension credit, who are just above that threshold, who may struggle this winter’.
Protecting the state pension triple lock, which looks set to give an above-inflation rise in line with average earnings, also gives ‘some protection’, she said.
She acknowledged it was a ‘difficult choice’ but it was due to the ‘difficult circumstances because of the previous government and what they did’.
