Stephen Flynn has challenged Labour MPs in Scotland to “protect Scottish pensioners and defend Scotland’s budget by voting against Keir Starmer’s winter fuel payment cuts” – ahead of a crunch vote in the House of Commons tomorrow (Tuesday).
In a letter to Anas Sarwar and the 37 Labour MPs in Scotland, the SNP Westminster Leader said “the Labour government has broken its promises” to voters by imposing austerity cuts and increasing household energy bills – warning “the last thing the UK needs is more cuts from the Labour Party – and pensioners will face a bitter winter if these cuts go ahead.”.
New analysis, published by the SNP on Saturday, shows around 860,000 pensioners in Scotland could lose up to £500 a year in winter fuel payments from November, and up to £2,500 by the next UK general election, as a result of the Labour government’s cuts.
The data shows around 87% of Scottish pensioners could lose out under Keir Starmer’s plan to end the payment for anyone not on Pension Credit or other means-tested benefits.
To be eligible for Pension Credit, you must earn less than £11,343 a year – meaning thousands of pensioners on a low or modest income will be just above the threshold for the Winter Fuel Payment under the Labour government’s plans.
In a BBC interview with Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday, Keir Starmer was confronted over the cuts, including by one Labour voter who said “I thought I might regret my vote within a year. I certainly didn’t think I would regret it by the first decision made by the new government, to attack the pensioners”.
During the interview, Laura Kuenssberg asked “when it comes to cutting the winter fuel allowance that is a choice. How can you justify it to viewers who feel like it is an attack on some people who have worked hard all their lives? They’re not wealthy, they don’t have money to spare and, this year, they’re going to be looking at their thermostat and wondering how they’re going to pay their bills?”. In response, Starmer defended the cuts leading Kuenssberg to say “nobody thought they were voting for you to take away their winter fuel allowance”.
In the letter today, SNP Westminster Leader Stephen Flynn MP writes:
“Dear Anas, Labour MPs,
“Tomorrow, MPs will vote on the Labour government’s damaging plan to end the Winter Fuel Payment for millions of pensioners across the UK.
“SNP MPs will be voting against these draconian Labour austerity cuts, which would see around 860,000 pensioners in Scotland lose up to £500 a year, just as energy bills are set to rise again, and slash more than £100million from Scotland’s budget.
“During the UK general election, the Labour Party promised voters in Scotland you would end austerity cuts and lower energy bills. Yet, within weeks, the Labour government has already broken its promises. Under Labour, energy bills are rising by 10% and the UK government is imposing Tory austerity on steroids by slashing billions from public services.
“The Labour government doesn’t need to wield the axe and make these cuts. It is a political choice, driven by your obsession with copying Tory fiscal rules. Up to 87% of pensioners in Scotland will lose out under Labour government plans, including those on a low and modest income who are just above the pension credit threshold of £11,343 a year.
“This is not the ‘change’ people in Scotland were promised – and it breaks the personal pledge you made to voters during the election: “Read my lips: no austerity under Labour”.
“The last UK government hammered the economy, public services and household incomes by imposing fourteen years of cuts and Brexit. The last thing the UK needs now is more cuts from the Labour Party – and pensioners will face a bitter winter if these cuts go ahead.
“The damaging decisions the Labour government has made in its first weeks will stain its reputation. By slashing the winter fuel payment you will make life harder for low income pensioners. By keeping the two child cap you will push more children into poverty. And by continuing Tory austerity cuts and Brexit you will do long-term damage to the country.
“I urge you to do the right thing, protect Scottish pensioners and defend Scotland’s budget by voting against Keir Starmer’s winter fuel payment cuts tomorrow.
“Yours for Scotland,
Stephen Flynn MP
SNP Westminster Leader”
