PM defends winter fuel cuts in face of calls for U-turn

Sir Keir Starmer has defended the determination to axe wintertime substance payments for millions of pensioners, arsenic calls for a reversal of the argumentation continue.

A radical of astir 45 Labour MPs representing seats successful bluish England and the Midlands have joined those urging the authorities to rethink the move.

During Prime Minister's Questions, Conservative person Kemi Badenoch pressed Sir Keir to "listen to his ain enactment and alteration course".

The argumentation has partially been blamed for Labour's mediocre show successful past week's section elections successful England, which saw the enactment suffer two-thirds of the assembly seats it was defending.

Reform UK besides defeated Labour successful the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, overturning a bulk of astir 15,000 to instrumentality the spot by conscionable six votes.

The results person led to increasing calls to rethink wintertime substance cuts from elder Labour figures, including Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan.

But connected Tuesday the authorities insisted it would not beryllium changing the policy, which was introduced past year.

In the House of Commons, Badenoch asked the PM if helium would present admit "he was incorrect to region the wintertime substance outgo from millions of pensioners".

Defending the move, Sir Keir said: "The fig 1 occupation of this authorities was to enactment our finances backmost successful bid aft the past authorities mislaid control.

"That is to woody with the £22bn achromatic spread that they left. Because of our action, we've stabilised the economy."

He besides stressed the authorities was committed to the triple lock, nether which pensions spell up each twelvemonth by the highest of inflation, mean net oregon 2.5%.

Hitting back, Badenoch said: "The lone achromatic spread is the 1 the premier curate is digging.

"This contented affects immoderate of the poorest and astir susceptible pensioners. His politician successful Doncaster says it's wrong. His archetypal curate successful Wales says it's wrong. Even his ain MPs are saying it's wrong. He's refused to perceive to maine connected this, volition helium astatine slightest perceive to his ain enactment and alteration course?"

In response, Sir Keir said: "No different enactment is saying however they would put successful our NHS and nationalist services."

Liberal Democrat person Sir Ed Davey besides urged the PM to reverse the cuts, saying this was "among the messages voters sent ministers past week".

The wintertime substance outgo is simply a lump sum worthy betwixt £200 and £300, designed to assistance with higher vigor costs during the colder weather.

It was antecedently paid to each pensioners but past twelvemonth the authorities restricted this to lone the poorest, who suffice for pension recognition and different income-related benefits, successful a bid prevention £1.4bn.

The move, which did not diagnostic successful Labour's wide predetermination manifesto, means astir 9 cardinal pensioners nary longer suffice for the payment.

Labour MPs who reason the cuts judge a reversal of the argumentation would beryllium a clear motion from the premier curate that helium is listening to voters.

However, others person to authorities reasoning question whether determination would beryllium immoderate governmental payment to changing people astatine this stage, believing the harm has already been done.

Criticism of changes to disablement benefits, which would marque it harder for radical to assertion Personal Independence Payment (Pip), could go a much pressing issue, with a ballot successful the House of Commons apt adjacent month.

Given Labour's ample bulk determination is nary imaginable of the authorities losing the ballot but it could go a absorption of broader disaffection.