Pressure mounts on the PM as up to 50 MPs could vote against cuts to winter fuel payments.
Keir Starmer says government will have to be unpopular
Sir Keir Starmer could face a rebellion of up to 50 Labour MPs in tomorrow’s crunch winter fuel payment vote.
Dozens of backbenchers are set to abstain when the measure to axe the payments for millions of pensioners comes to the House of Commons on Tuesday, while a handful are expected to vote against the policy.
It comes as Labour is facing a major backlash over plans to restrict the allowance to only those on pension credit.
Some 11 Labour MPs are among the 27 who have signed a Commons motion expressing concerns over the proposals.
Seven of the party’s MPs had the whip removed for voting to scrap the two-child benefit cap in July.
Sir Keir Starmer is facing a battle with MPs over his planned Winter Fuel Payment cut (Image: Getty)
The Prime Minister yesterday refused to say whether Labour MPs would be suspended from the party for voting against cuts to winter fuel payments.
He told the BBC: “That will be a matter for the chief whip.
“We’re going into a vote. I’m glad we’re having a vote, because I think it’s very important for Parliament to speak on this.
“But every Labour MP was elected in on the same mandate as I was, which was to deliver the change that we need for the country over the time we’ve got in office.
“I’m absolutely convinced that we will only deliver that change, I’m absolutely determined we will, if we do the difficult things.
“Now, I know they’re unpopular, I know they’re difficult. Of course they’re tough choices.”
Sir Keir also admitted his new government would be “unpopular” as he sought to defend the controversial decision.
He said: “We’re going to have to be unpopular. Tough decisions are tough decisions. Popular decisions aren’t tough, they are easy.
“When we talk about tough decisions, I’m talking about tough decisions, the things the last government ran away from, that governments traditionally run away from.
“I’m convinced that because they’ve run away from difficult decisions, we haven’t got the change we need for the country.”
Chancellor Rachel Reeves sparked a backlash in July when she announced plans to limit previously universal winter fuel payments.
She blamed a £22 billion black hole in the public finances left by the Tories, which they have denied.
The move is expected to reduce the number of pensioners in receipt of the up to £300 payment by 10million, from 11.4million to 1.5million – saving around £1.4billion this year.
