Your support helps us to tell the story
My recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.
Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.
Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyond
Eric Garcia
Washington Bureau Chief
MPs have voted to cut the winter fuel allowance for ten million pensioners.
The Conservative motion to repeal the Government’s cuts to winter fuel payments has been defeated by 348 votes to 228.
Sir Keir Starmer has successfully seen off a backbench rebellion but his majority has fell to 120. The Government’s working majority is 167.
No.10 have made it clear they will not back down from the “tough decision”, despite strong opposition from its own MPs and trade unions.
This comes as the PM said he will not apologise for the changes Labour have made. In a speech at the TUC Congress today, Sir Keir Starmer said “this election would not have been won if we had not changed”.
“I make no apologies for any for the decisions we have had to take to begin the work of change and no apologies to those still stuck in the 1980s who believe that unions and business can only stand at odds leaving working people in the middle.”
On Monday, the president of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in Brighton, Matt Wrack, warned that a second wave of austerity will boost the rise of the far right in Britain’s left-behind communities and spoke out against the winter fuel allowance cut.
Labour MP says ‘I could not in good conscience vote to make my constituents poorer’
Labour MP Jon Trickett confirmed that he voted against the party’s proposed removal of the winter fuel payment for some pensioners.
Mr Trickett, who was a shadow cabinet member during Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership said he feared the measure would cause more pensioners to fall into poverty during the winter.
In a statement posted on X, he said: “This winter will be extremely difficult for my constituents of all ages. After years of obscene profiteering by energy companies, they are hiking bills once again.
“I fear that removing the payment from pensioners will mean that many more will fall into poverty this winter. We know that the consequences of pensioner poverty are devastating. It can even be a matter of life and death. I have worked behind the scenes to try and change the Government’s position, but to no avail.
“Our country is richer than it’s ever been, but the wealth is not shared fairly. In my view the Government should be looking to raise revenues from the wealthiest in society, not working class pensioners.
“I could not in good conscience vote to make my constituents poorer. I will sleep well tonight know that I voted to defend my constituents.”
One Labour MP rebels and no vote recorded for 53 government MPs
The division list has shown Labour MP for Normanton and Hemsworth Jon Trickett supported the Conservation motion.
No vote was recorded for 53 Labour MPs, although this does not automatically equate to an abstention for each MP as they may have received permission to miss a vote.
Starmer sees off backbench rebellion in winter fuel allowance vote
Sir Keir Starmer has seen off a backbench rebellion over plans to cut the winter fuel allowance but the Government’s majority fell to 120.
MPs voted 348 to 228 against the Tory motion for the controversial policy to be blocked.
A list of how MPs voted will be available shortly, though it will not be immediately clear how many actively chose to abstain as it will only show who voted in favour, against and who did not record a vote.
The Government’s working majority is 167.
Labour has declared a ‘war on pensioners’, former minister claims
Former ‘minister for common sense’ Esther McVey has claimed Labour has “declared war on pensioners”.
She told the Commons: “The public knows this decision to rob millions of pensioners of their winter fuel allowance – for which the Government has no mandate – has nothing to do with economics, and everything to do with cynical political calculations, and the haste with which it is being done is breathtaking.”
The Tory MP accused Labour of “ditching” its beliefs, adding: “This Government have been telling pensioners they didn’t want to do this, but tough financial decisions must be made, but we all know that’s poppycock, that wasn’t the Government’s message to the already highly paid train drivers, when they met them, money was no object, have as much as you want, the public are not as stupid as this Government thinks they are.”
“Labour has basically declared war on pensioners, which will neither be forgotten or forgiven,” she concluded.
MPs now voting on winter fuel payment
MPs have begun voting on the government’s plans to cut the winter fuel allowance for around 10 million people.
The results should be with us in 15 minutes.
The government expects the motion to win.
Do not expect ‘Houdini-like solutions’ from the government, chair of Treasury committee says
Labour’s Dame Meg Hillier, the new chairwoman of the Treasury Committee has said she will support the winter fuel payment move, adding the solution “isn’t to defer tough choices”.
She told the Commons: “The decision we are asked to make today is a difficult one, but sadly it is not going to be the only difficult decision that faces this new Labour Government.”
She added: “When I would hear (now Chancellor Rachel Reeves) talk about the challenges ahead and the dire consequences, I would say ‘And you think it’s that bad, I know it’s a lot worse’. We’ve heard of the Chuckle Brothers, I described us as the Misery Sisters because when she said it’s bad, I’d say it’s going to be worse than that.”
Dame Hillier later said she knows from “bitter experience” that rushed legislations tends to be bad law.
“I do not expect some Houdini-like solution to be announced by (Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall) from the frontbench in the closing speeches, but instead I expect and trust her that she will consider removing these chains of poverty as a key mission for this Government in a thoughtful, carefully planned way, tied up with the next budget but way beyond that.”
Liberal Democrats say scrapping winter fuel allowance is ‘simply wrong’
Scrapping the winter fuel allowance for some pensioners is “simply wrong”, the Liberal Democrats have said.
The party’s spokesperson on work and pensions, Wendy Chamberlain, said: “We on these benches accept that the new Government has been left with an unenviable task of re-building our economy after the mess left by the previous government, and nobody is disputing that years of Conservative mismanagement have left the public finances in crisis.
“But this cut is simply wrong, it is wrong to strip support from many of the poorest pensioners, just as energy bills are set to rise again, it is wrong to force vulnerable elderly people to make that choice between heating and eating this winter, and it is the wrong answer to the challenges that we face.”
She added that the Government has “not properly thought through the consequences or the measures that will be available to support those most in need”.
Mel Stride: ‘You know in your heart that these measures are wrong’
Shadow work and pensions secretary Mel Stride, addressing Labour MPs, told the Commons: “Can I make an impassioned plea to those sitting opposite – look to your conscience. You know in your heart that these measures are wrong.
“You know in your heart that the party opposite has broken their promises and that these measures are going to lead to untold hardship for millions of elderly and vulnerable people right up and down this country.
“You now have an opportunity to join with us and put a stop to it.”
Watch live: MPs debate winter fuel payment cuts for millions of pensioners
Comment: There are good reasons why the winter fuel payment must be scrapped – but no one’s talking about them
As the House of Commons debates the government’s plan to withdraw the winter fuel payment from the majority of pensioners, economist Jonathan Portes says those decrying the benefit cut would be better off defending the triple lock
Mr Portes argues the debate on the winter fuel payment is “hopelessly confused”, and those defending a non-means tested benefit – as it is in its current form – “rarely confront the logic of their arguments”.
He adds: “Why should Tony Blair, Elton John and my mother get an extra £200 they don’t need?”
Read the full Voices article here.
