Keir Starmer bows to calls for for vote on winter gasoline allowance

Keir Starmer has bowed to demands for a vote on stripping the winter fuel allowance from millions of pensioners as he faces a growing Labour revolt.

Ten of the party’s MPs have now signed an early day motion calling for the plan to be dropped and warning of the impact on society’s most vulnerable.

Several left-wingers already suspended by the PM over a separate rebellion have also signalled their opposition. 

Commons leader Lucy Powell confirmed this morning that a vote will happen on Tuesday, although given Sir Keir’s huge majority the result is not in doubt.

Angela Rayner again rejected demands for a rethink as she toured broadcast studios, saying the government had to balance the books.

Only pensioners on incomes low enough to receive pension credit will get winter fuel payments worth up to £300 this year, despite fears that many will be forced to choose between heating and eating.

The government had initially batted away calls from the Tories and Lib Dems to put the issue before the Commons.

Keir Starmer (pictured) was berated by Rishi Sunak for axing winter fuel allowance in the first session since Parliament returned from its summer break

Angela Rayner again rejected demands for a rethink on winter fuel payments this morning as she toured broadcast studios, saying the government had to balance the books

Ten Labour MPs have now signed an early day motion calling for the plan to be dropped and warning of the impact on society’s most vulnerable

Instead ministers were going to force the move to means test the benefit through using a so-called ‘negative’ statutory instrument.

However, there were doubts over whether the government could avoid a showdown, with the Conservatives able to use Opposition time to force a division.

Shadow work and pensions secretary Mel Stride said: ‘We welcome that the Labour Government have u-turned and there will now be a vote on the Conservative motion to scrap the cruel cut to Winter Fuel Payments.

‘Labour thinks it is right to give their union paymasters an inflation-busting pay rise over protecting vulnerable pensioners, just as bills are going up. This tells you everything you need to know about the Government’s values.

‘Labour still wants to stop this vital support for the most vulnerable pensioners, but we would urge all MPs to do the right thing and back this Conservative motion to stop this punishing cut.’

Sir Keir was accused of ‘choosing’ to hand cash to ‘highly-paid’ train drivers instead of helping pensioners heat their homes during bruising PMQs clashes yesterday.

The premier was berated by Rishi Sunak for axing winter fuel allowance in the first session since Parliament returned from its summer break.

A rattled Sir Keir was jeered as he repeatedly referred to Mr Sunak as ‘the Prime Minister’, insisting the government has to take ‘tough decisions to stabilise the economy’.

The Tory leader shot back that the economy was in better shape than most competitors. 

Asked afterwards why Sir Keir had called Mr Sunak ‘PM’ five times, a No10 spokesman said ‘old habits die hard’. 

The exchanges came as ministers were slammed for ‘making excuses’ by briefing that the state pension will rise by £400 in April.  

Ms Rayner said the Government would not ‘play fast and loose’ with the nation’s finances as she defended the decision to means test pensioners’ winter fuel payments.

She told BBC Breakfast: ‘We have to make sure that we can fiscally be responsible, so that we can grow our economy, so that we can pay for our public services.

‘And we said that in the run-up to the general election. What we didn’t realise is that absolute mess the Tories had left the… state of the finances, and we’re having to make difficult decisions.

‘But we were very clear in the run-up to the general election, we wouldn’t play fast and loose with the country’s finances – because that’s what the Tories did, and that’s why we’re in this mess in the first place – and that we will do everything we can to grow our economy.’

She said the Government was taking action to support pensioners, with the household support fund extended to ‘help people who maybe are not entitled to pension credit, who are just above that threshold, who may struggle this winter’.

Protecting the state pension triple lock, which looks set to give an above-inflation rise in line with average earnings, also gives ‘some protection’, she said.

She acknowledged it was a ‘difficult choice’ but it was due to the ‘difficult circumstances because of the previous government and what they did’.

Commons leader Lucy Powell confirmed this morning that a vote will happen on Tuesday