Keir Starmer should reverse ‘merciless’ winter gasoline cost minimize, says union boss

Keir Starmer must reverse a “cruel” cut to winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners, one of Labour’s most poweful union backers has warned.

General Secretary of Unite, Sharon Graham, said the move to cut the payments for all but the poorest OAPs was a “misstep”. Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the plan in July as she scrambles to fix the £22billion hole the Tories left in the public finances.

But the union leader said the new Labour government should now “reverse the policy” to allow older people to put their heating on this winter.

She said: “You’ve got a situation where the poorest in our society, the first thing that Labour does is take away the winter fuel allowance from the poorest in our society whilst they leave the wealthiest people pretty much untouched.”

In frank comments, Ms Graham added: “Good people who want Labour to do well are finding it, quite frankly, embarrassing.”

Her comments came as Unite union – which represents millions of workers – prepares to unveil a series of billboards at the Labour conference calling for a U-turn on winter fuel. Funded by Unite, they will include the message “Defend the winter fuel payment” and show a pensioner huddled over a heater.

Ms Graham also used an interview with The Sunday Mirror last week to urge Labour to slap a 1% tax on the wealthiest Brits and ditch plans to cut winter fuel allowance. The Unite boss said the wealth tax could raise around £25billion a year – exceeding the £22billion black hole in the nation’s finances left behind by the Tories.

But speaking this weekend, Chancellor Rachel Reeves appeared to rule out any prospect of a wealth tax at next month’s Budget. She told The Sunday Times: “I’m not looking at creating some new tax, or a wealth tax.”

Education Secretary also told Sky News on Sunday she didn’t like the cut to winter fuel payments, adding: ” I take no relish in the fact we had to make this decision” on winter fuel.” But she refused to be drawn whether Ms Reeves should U-turn after a £10bn boost from the Bank of England