Owen Jones on Starmer’s Labour party stopping Winter fuel payments
Labour votes to plunge pensioners into poverty
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/labour-votes-plunge-pensioners-poverty
SUPINE Labour MPs have voted to plunge pensioners into poverty, after approving winter fuel benefit cuts for millions of older people.
The Commons backed Sir Keir Starmer’s austerity move by 348 votes to 228, with many Labour MPs abstaining.
A larger-than-expected 53 Labour MPs seem to have not backed the government in the vote, although some may have had permission from the whips to skip the debate.
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John McDonnell, speaking in the brief debate which preceded the vote, said that the cut “flies against everything I believe in as a Labour MP about tackling inequality and poverty within our society.”
He slammed the government’s claim that those with the “broadest shoulders” should bear the burden of the crisis, saying that it was the poorest who have been hit hardest.
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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/labour-votes-plunge-pensioners-poverty
Labour refuses to publish impact assessment of winter fuel payment cuts until after MPs have voted
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/winter-fuel-payment-starmer-reeves-b2609520.html
Independent Exclusive: Energy minister Miatta Fahnbulleh confirmed her department has assessed the impact the policy change will have on pensioners living in fuel poverty, but said only that it will be published ‘in due course’
The government has assessed the number of people who will be pushed into fuel poverty by its winter fuel payment cuts, but will not publish the figures until after MPs vote on the measure, The Independent can reveal.
Answering a parliamentary question from former Labour frontbencher John McDonnell, energy minister Miatta Fahnbulleh confirmed her department has assessed the impact the policy change will have on pensioners living in fuel poverty.
But, asked by Mr McDonnell and The Independent, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero refused to say when the document would be published, only promising that it would be “in due course”.
Her answer suggests that while the department has carried out the analysis, it will not be published until after MPs have voted on the measure. Mr McDonnell said “it is no way to implement policy” and he is “fearful of the impact on those who will be put at serious risk”.
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https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/winter-fuel-payment-starmer-reeves-b2609520.html
The dishonesty of Rachel Reeves
‘There will be more deaths’: Former Labour MP John McDonnell tells LBC he will not vote to scrap winter fuel benefits
https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/john-mcdonnell-winter-fuel-payments-cut-benefits-labour
The left-wing MP told Lewis Goodall on LBC that he will not vote for the changes if there is no adjustment before they are put before Parliament.
Mr McDonnell said: “I will vote against it. We’ve had 14 years of austerity I don’t think my community can cope with it anymore.
“My fear is, as a result of this, there will be more deaths.”
On the policy, Mr McDonnell added: “It’s the wrong route to go down – it will disillusion people. This is not what a Labour government should be doing I’m afraid.
“My fear is there may be other austerity measures coming down the track”.
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https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/john-mcdonnell-winter-fuel-payments-cut-benefits-labour
The dishonesty of Rachel Reeves
We keep marching for Gaza, Cleverly told
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/we-keep-marching-gaza-cleverley-told
PALESTINE solidarity campaigners told Home Secretary James Cleverly today they will not stop marching — rebuffing his demand for an end to the demonstrations calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Mr Cleverly, desperate to bring a halt to the protests which brought down his predecessor Suella Braverman and have shaken the establishment, said the marches should stop as they had “made their point” — the latest government attempt to halt the movement.
But the six organisations which have come together to organise the solidarity movement made it clear that they would not consider pausing their campaigning until there was at least a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
Instead, at a Westminster press conference, they united to slam the mounting assault on the right to protest being conducted by the government and other right-wing politicians.
“There is a growing attack on the right to protest,” Palestine Solidarity Campaign director Ben Jamal told the press conference.
“Demonising the protesters for Palestinian rights by pro-Israeli politicians serves to deflect attention from Israel’s genocide.”
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Left MP John McDonnell criticised proposals being circulated to insulate politicians from mass protests.
He said: “This is the operation of our democracy. We should welcome it and be proud of it.”
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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/we-keep-marching-gaza-cleverley-told