Maybe unsurprisingly, party honchos have blocked a debate on the cuts to the winter fuel payments at this years Labour conference. Currently, they have delated the vote until Wednesday – when most of the delegates, including PM Keir Starmer – will have already left:
Labour conference delegates complain that vote on winter fuel payment will be delayed possibly to Wednesday when many delegates including the PM will have left pic.twitter.com/WRt3pUToOQ
— Paul Lewis (@paullewismoney) September 23, 2024
🚨 @UKLabour leadership blocks @unitetheunion winter fuel conference motion!
Right now it is fair to say that the Labour leaders have tried to silence the voice of pensioners, workers and communities at party conference in this blatant manoeuvre to block debate on winter fuel…
— Sharon Graham (@UniteSharon) September 23, 2024
Chaos anyone?
The Labour Party’s cut to winter fuel payments has already caused chaos. As the Canary has been documenting, Charity Age UK calculated that Labour’s move will impact 800,000 older people on very low incomes. Specifically, this is those living on less than £218.25 a week as single pensioners, or £332.95 as couples.
And despite the government’s drive to increase uptake in Pension Credit – the benefit that automatically entitles pensioners to the winter fuel payments – the majority will still miss out this winter.
According to a new equality analysis done by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) back in July, disabled people will be hit especially hard by the cut.
It also found:
83% (2.7m) of those aged 80+ currently receiving winter fuel payments will lose out, compared to 90% (7.3m) of those aged 66 to 79.
Additionally, Age UK estimate that around a million more pensioners less than £50 above the so-called poverty line will be “hit hard”. Meanwhile, in 2017 Labour itself did an impact assessment. This found around 4,000 older people could die as a result of means testing the winter fuel payment.
So as always, they are going to hit women and disabled people the hardest.
Afraid of dissent over winter fuel payments?
With growing public anger over Labour’s cruel cut to winter fuel payments, trade union Unite put forward a motion to reverse it.
Moreover, as the BBC previously reported, it also:
urges the government to introduce a wealth tax and to end self-imposed rules which prevent borrowing to invest.
However, it’s clear Reeves was running scared – postponing the motion to what Unite has branded “graveyard slot” on Wednesday. Essentially, the main speeches will have concluded, and many delegates will have left the conference by then. Given this, some were pointing out that the move is for Starmer and Reeves to save face:
The winter fuel motion from Unite has been rescheduled to the end of the conference. Intent is twofold: on one hand, the leadership can technically claim they did not block debate; on the other, this slot is always virtually empty, so they can claim there is no real opposition. https://t.co/44kiTeGxeG
— GlumBird (@GlumBird) September 23, 2024
It’s unsurprising, given that support for Starmer and Labour has collapsed in the polls since election.
However, the ploy hasn’t exactly panned out how Reeves likely intended it. The only thing colder than the reception the chancellor received at conference this year, is the homes of millions of pensioners this winter:
Imagine winning a landslide victory, first conference where you’re in power in 15 years, only to be *BOOED* by your own party faithful at conference?
Heavens. It’s only a matter of time until there’s a leadership challenge now. https://t.co/TxsgpY287m
— Luke Robert Black (@lukerobertblack) September 23, 2024
It seems fear of dissent is the only logical reason that the party blocked this debate into winter fuel payments at the Labour conference:
The Party’s refusal to schedule union motions on winter fuel payments and local government funding shows it’s running scared of dissent.
If the Leadership stood up for real Labour values rather than more austerity, they wouldn’t have to worry. #LabourConference2024
— Momentum 🌹 (@PeoplesMomentum) September 23, 2024
🚨 NEW: Rachel Reeves on means testing the winter fuel allowance – “I know that not everyone in this hall, or in this country, will agree with every decision I’ll make, but I will not duck those decisions, not for political expediency, not for personal advantage”
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) September 23, 2024
🥀 Pretty clear that Labour won’t allow a debate on cutting Winter Fuel Payments for pensioners because it can’t defend it. https://t.co/8RBMnUCGic
— Sarah Masson (@_sarahmasson) September 23, 2024
Labour are shameless. Both in their attempts to freeze out pensioners, and in their attempt to block debate from this years conference. They must know that they don’t have a leg to stand on.
