Former Tory MP Anna Firth has hit out at Labour’s decision to slash Winter Fuel Payments to pensioners.
Speaking on GB News, she said Sir Keir Starmer’s party are “robbing old pensioners” as she stuck the boot in.
Labour are cutting the £300 support for thousands of pensioners in a bid to plug a £22bn ‘black hole’ cited by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
But the strategy has caused division and scrutiny with Labour’s own delegates voting against it at the party’s annual conference in Liverpool last week.
Anna Firth hit out at Labour
GB NEWS / REUTERS / GETTY
“None of us could have anticipated that Labour were going to be as disastrous as they have turned out to be”, Firth told Olivia Utley on GB News.
“Only today - they promised in their manifesto that energy bills would come down today.
Anna Firth joined Olivia Utley on GB News
GBNEWS
“Announcement. Energy bills are all going up by £150. They’re taking freebies and robbing our old pensioners.
“None of us could have imagined they would be so bad. We do need to challenge them.”
Firth is not the only Conservative figure to have spoken out against the plan to means-test the winter fuel allowance, with former Chancellor Jeremy Hunt also very critical.
At the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, Hunt said: “You don’t have to take my word for it, I mean just read this week’s Economist where there’s an article saying that (Rachel Reeves) could have actually not a black hole of £22 billion, but a surplus of £39 billion to play with in the budget.
Keir Starmer is under fire
PA“The Financial Times did a Freedom of Information request to the Treasury to ask where this fictitious £22 billion number came (from), the reply they got back form the Treasury was we can’t give you the workings because we’re not sure they’re accurate.
“Even the Labour Party don’t believe it, otherwise they wouldn’t be having this debate over the winter fuel allowance.”
A spokeswoman for the UK Government said: “We are committed to supporting pensioners, with millions set to see their full new state pension rise by £1,700 this Parliament through our commitment to the triple lock.
“Given the dire state of the public finances we have inherited, it’s right we target support to those who need it most.
“Over a million pensioners will still receive the winter fuel payment, while many others will also benefit from the £150 warm home discount to help with their energy bills over winter.”