UK Politics

One of Rachel Reeves’s first decisions when she became chancellor last summer was to strip 10 million pensioners of their winter fuel payments. The move was designed to show that Labour could take tough choices and was serious about sorting out the economy. But, in the weeks and months since, it has proven toxic for both her party and her government. Yet Keir Starmer has now said he wants to make sure “more pensioners are eligible”. So why is the government performing a U-turn now — and will it work? Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves More

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer suggested Wednesday that a hugely unpopular measure which deprived millions of retirees an annual winter fuel subsidy will be changed, a striking reversal in policy.Starmer said he wanted to help people with the cost of living and added that he wanted more retirees to be eligible for the so-called winter fuel payments. He spoke during his weekly questioning in the House of Commons after figures were released showing inflation was up at its highest level in over a year. “As the economy improves, we want to make sure people feel those improvements,” he said. “That is why we want to ensure that as we go forward more pensioners are eligible for winter fuel payments.”Soon after Labour came to power last July, Treasury chief Rachel Reeves removed the winter fuel allowance, worth between 200 and 300 pounds ($266 and $399) a year, from all but the poorest retirees, arguing that the measure was needed because of the dire state of the public finances left by the previous Conservative government.The move has arguably contributed to a swift decline in popularity for Starmer’s government since it was elected. In local elections in England earlier this month, Labour fared poorly, with many party representatives blaming the removal of the winter fuel payment.Since then, there’s been growing speculation that the government will change tack by either scrapping the measure or increasing the level at which the allowance is paid.Starmer told lawmakers that the decision will be made “as part of a fiscal event.” It’s unclear whether that would be on June 11 when Reeves will outline her spending plans for government departments over the coming three years, or in her next budget in the fall. During Wednesday’s exchanges in the House of Commons, Kemi Badenoch, leader of the main opposition Conservative Party, asked how the public could “ever trust” Starmer after the “inevitable U-turn” on winter fuel payments.Starmer appeared to justify the change on economic grounds and said that higher than expected first quarter U.K. growth, lower borrowing costs and trio of trade deals with the European Union, India and the United States give the government room for maneuver.“It’s only because of the measures we’ve taken that the economy is improving, growth at the highest rate in the G7, four interest rate cuts, three trade deals because countries want to trade with this country because of the decisions that we’ve made,” Starmer said. More

Older people with bad backs and joint pain will be the worst affected by the government’s disability benefit cuts, the government has accepted.Figures reveal that more than three-quarters of those claiming personal independence payments (PIPs) for conditions including arthritis and back pain will lose their benefits in the cost-cutting drive. Meanwhile, less than half of those claiming for depression and anxiety will be affected, while just a fifth of those claiming for ADHD will be hit. The two categories are those which are growing the quickest.Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall will double down on the plans More

Keir Starmer is on the verge of sanctioning senior members of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government over the crisis in Gaza amid calls from MPs for tougher action against Israel. The sanctions are being considered as alarm grows over the fate of thousands of Palestinians as the Israeli Defence Force steps up military operations and supplies continue to struggle to get through.Top of the list are understood to be Israel’s national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, as well as others. It comes a day after Britain issued fresh sanctions against Israel and suspended trade talks over its “morally unjustifiable” escalation of violence in Gaza, with foreign secretary David Lammy blasting Netanyahu’s actions as “wholly disproportionate”.Israel’s security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir More

Angela Rayner sent a memo to Rachel Reeves suggesting an increase in taxes for savers, reports have claimed.The deputy prime minister was said to have suggested reinstating the pensions lifetime allowance and changing dividend taxes to raise revenue ahead of the spring statement, The Telegraph reported.The lifetime pensions allowance limited how much savers could put in their pension pot before incurring a higher tax charge and was abolished under the Tories.The deputy prime minister reportedly sent the suggestions in a memo titled “alternative proposals for raising revenue”, which estimated the changes could raise £3 billion to £4 billion a year.The chancellor has been adamant she will not turn to tax rises as part of the government’s efforts to fund its policies. But there have been reports that Ms Rayner has been pushing back against spending cuts behind the scenes.Angela Rayner sent a memo to Rachel Reeves suggesting an increase on taxes for savers, reports have claimed More

Frustration spilled over in the Commons on Tuesday – from Labour MPs and others – over the time it has taken for Keir Starmer’s government to step up and take action against Israel over the Gaza crisis.As the UN warned that 14,000 babies risked death from malnutrition by Thursday without urgent aid, there was a sense that, by the time foreign secretary David Lammy got to his feet, it was already too late and not enough.He announced a largely symbolic move of suspending trade talks with Israel and sanctions against some extremists in Israel connected to settlers. But there was no full suspension of arms sales nor sanctions against ministers in Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.But the question was why had it taken so long for the UK government to act even in this limited way? Why was it only now that they were tightening the screw?David Lammy addresses the Commons More

Senior government figures are in talks about whether to U-turn on the chancellor’s winter fuel cuts within weeks, it has emerged. The cuts, which will strip millions of pensioners of payments worth up to £300, could reportedly be partially reversed or scrapped altogether.Ongoing discussions have covered all options, including the government sticking with its existing policy, the BBC reported. Rachel Reeves announced the cuts in July More

The UK has slapped Israel with further sanctions and suspended trade talks with the country in response to violence against Palestinians in Gaza. David Lammy blasted Israel for a “morally unjustifiable” escalation in violence as he announced fresh measures to pile pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu, just hours after the UK, Canada and France on Monday warned they will take “concrete actions” against the Middle Eastern nation. The foreign secretary also announced that Israeli ambassador to the UK Tzipi Hotovely has been summoned to the Foreign Office, where government minister Hamish Falconer said he would tell her “the 11-week block on aid to Gaza has been cruel and indefensible”. It came amid growing alarm over warnings that 14,000 Palestinian babies could die in the next 48 hours if action is not taken amid allegations the Israeli government is committing genocide. Already Keir Starmer had joined French president Emmanuel Macron and Canadian PM Mark Carney had issued a statement warning of substantive action if the Israeli government continues to block aid getting into Gaza.But MPs from five political parties – Labour, the Tories, Lib Dems, Greens and SNP – told Mr Lammy that the government needs to go further and faster including suspending arms sales to Israel.Labour MP Melanie Ward, a parliamentary private secretary, asked the foreign secretary: “What is the red line? Gaza is out of time.”David Lammy said the Middle East is entering a ‘dark new phase in this conflict’ More