Labour stripping pensioners of winter gas funds may KILL 4,000

Thousands of pensioners could die if winter fuel payments are cut, according to Labour‘s own research.

The shocking analysis was published in 2017 – when Sir Keir Starmer sat in the shadow cabinet.

It warned that Conservative plans to axe the allowance for ten million elderly voters would increase excess deaths by 3,850 that winter.

And it called Theresa May‘s proposal, which was later abandoned, the ‘single biggest attack on pensioners in a generation in our country’. 

The revelation has sparked accusations of ‘blatant hypocrisy’ from ­Labour’s own MPs as the party now forces through the deeply unpopular means-­testing of the energy bill subsidy.

Published during the 2017 election ­campaign, the research said: ‘Since the introduction of the winter fuel payment by Labour in 1997, allowing for significant variation in winter weather, deaths among the elderly have fallen from around 34,000 to 24,000. 

Half of the almost 10,000 decrease in so-called ‘excess winter deaths’ – the rise in mortality that occurs each winter – between 2000 and 2012 was due to the introduction of the winter fuel allowance.’

Last night one Labour MP told the Mail: ‘This is blatant hypocrisy. All those now reversing Gordon Brown’s winter fuel allowance were Labour MPs when we fought against Theresa May’s government’s plans to scrap it in 2017.

‘Times change but the basic ethos and political principles of the largest parties should not be quite as interchangeable.’

Labour MP Rachael Maskell, who last week warned the plan would lead to more pensioners dying from the cold, said: ‘My concern is that an NHS under extreme pressure will experience even more pressure if people who are fuel-poor are ending up there because they can’t heat their homes. 

‘Labour has got to find a solution to assure people they can get through this winter.’

The revelation that Labour itself warned of the deadly risks of the policy it is now driving through could prompt yet more of its MPs to rebel when they come to vote on it tomorrow.

Yesterday even the Health Secretary admitted he is ‘not remotely happy’ about stripping the annual fuel bill subsidy, worth up to £300.

Wes Streeting told Sky News: ‘I think it is a tough choice, and we’ve had plenty of political criticism for it, I think, which demonstrates the political pain of it.

‘I’m not remotely happy about it, and I’m not remotely happy about having so say to some of my constituents, ‘I’m sorry that I’m going into work this week to vote for something that will take money away from you’.’

He insisted the Government had to act to fill the £22billlion ‘black hole’ in the public finances which the party claims was left by the Conservatives.

He added: ‘We didn’t come into government determined to take away people’s winter fuel allowances. That’s not the primary motivation here. The motivation is to balance the books.’

But, hinting at further cuts, he warned: ‘It’s not just pensioners. We’ve got the Budget and the spending review coming up.’

Both he and the Prime Minister refused to say if Labour MPs would be punished for rebelling against the Government amid rumours that dozens may abstain in tomorrow’s Commons showdown.

Asked if Labour MPs who vote against the legislation will have the party whip withdrawn – as seven did in July for opposing the two-child benefit cap – Mr Streeting replied: ‘Well, that’s a matter for the Prime Minister and the Chief Whip.’

When Sir Keir was asked the same question by the BBC, he replied: ‘Well, that’ll be a matter for the Chief Whip and we’ll assess that as we go along.’

Initially Labour had attempted to introduce the cuts through secondary legislation without any scrutiny in the Commons, before performing a U-turn under pressure from the Tories.

But the PM insisted: ‘I’m glad we’re having a vote, because I think it’s very important for Parliament to speak on this.

‘This is really tough, and I do get that it’s tough, it’s not easy, and no Prime Minister wants to take a decision like this.

‘But the winter fuel payments are now to be targeted, they were untargeted before, and I think everybody thought that wasn’t a particularly good system, so it needed to be targeted.’

Asked whether he was ‘willing’ to be unpopular, Sir Keir replied: ‘We’re going to have to be unpopular. Popular decisions aren’t tough, they’re easy.’

Last night Tory chairman Richard Fuller said: ‘This week’s vote on the Conservatives’ motion is a vote to protect millions of vulnerable pensioners.

‘No MP from any party should run scared from stopping Labour’s cruel plans to cut the winter fuel payments.

‘It’s time for all Members of Parliament to put aside party politics and do the right thing.’

Labour MP Rosie Duffield has said she ‘absolutely’ can not support the Government but will abstain rather than vote against.

She told Times Radio: ‘This government has made it very clear that Labour MPs who vote against this new government will be punished and have the whip removed. But I will be showing that I don’t agree with them by abstaining and I know a few colleagues are doing the same.’

Yesterday independent MP John McDonnell – who spoke out against the winter fuel cuts back in 2017 when he was shadow chancellor – said he thought some pensioners would die as a result of the cuts.

He wrote on social media: ‘I remain in hope ministers will come forward with an alternative to protect my constituents, who will suffer badly from this change of policy. If not I can’t in all conscience do anything else but vote against.’

Despite opposition from the Tories, Liberal Democrats, the Scottish National Party and independents, as well as likely Labour abstentions, the policy will sail through the Commons because of Labour’s huge majority.

Former Tory Pensions Minister Baroness Altmann has tabled a so-called ‘fatal motion’ that would stop it coming into effect if voted through by peers on Wednesday.

But it is unlikely to pass as Opposition parties are wary of going against the will of the Commons.

Meanwhile union leaders gathering in Brighton this week are adding to the pressure on ministers over the cuts.

Trades Union Congress (TUC) general secretary Paul Nowak told a press conference: ‘I don’t want to see any pensioner going into winter afraid to turn on the heating, so yes I have concerns but I recognise the difficult legacy that’s been left.

‘I hope that in the Budget we can see proper support for pensioners and others who might be struggling.’

TUC president Matt Wrack told Sky News: ‘Yes, there will be concerns about the winter fuel payment, undoubtedly, as there is, about, child poverty and other issues facing us. So, yes, I think Keir Starmer will face debate and discussion from the trade unions on those issues.’