Labour ‘refuse’ to explain how they calculated ‘black hole’ figure driving Winter Fuel cut_l
The black hole is used as the justification for snatching Winter Fuel payments from the elderly.
Keir Starmer’s rationale for Winter Fuel payment cuts must be clearer (Image: WPA Pool / Pool)
As pensioners face a winter without the Winter Fuel allowance, the government has refused a Freedom of Information request asking about how they came to the £2billion ‘black hole’ figure.
Despite constantly bringing up the black hole, the government has turned down the Financial Times’ Freedom of Information request asking for further details.
Speaking on The Division Bell podcast, the Express’ Sam Lister said: “There’s a big problem now for the government in that the £2 billion black hole that they endlessly cite – there are questions over that.
“It was refused on the basis that the treasury needs more time to make sure the figures are accurate.”
This comes as MPs voted by 348 to 228 in favour of Rachel Reeves’ plan to take Winter Fuel Payments away from of millions of hard-pressed pensioners this Christmas.
With the Budget scheduled for October 30, the policy sets the stage for more tough measures aimed at tackling the so-called black hole.
Pensioners are ‘in the firing line’ says Sam Lister
Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Prime Minister Keir Starmer have continuously hinted at “difficult decisions” that will need to be made, causing uncertainty for many.
Sam continued: “You’d hope that the figures are accurate as they put them out in July and justified the Winter Fuel cuts on the basis of them.
“If they cannot say with certainty in September that the figures are accurate, people are right to question why they’re doing this in the first place.
“It feels that if you cannot justify this, it doesn’t feel right to then take money off pensioners.”
The Mirror’s Lizzy Buchan responded: “There is a broad question about publishing the rationale behind this sort of thing.
“Keir Starmer had a lot of questions from Rishi Sunak at PMQs about whether an impact assessment had been done about the cut to the Winter Fuel allowance[.]”
“It’s interesting that the government don’t feel that they want to publish that.”
She continued: “Principles of transparency apply across the board, and if you’re going to make these decisions you have to explain why.”
