It has been confirmed that there will be a binding vote on Labour's plan to axe the winter fuel allowance for pensioners.
The vote will take place on 10th September.
Ed Balls and George Osborne discussed the cutting of the winter fuel allowance on their recent podcast "Will Rachel Reeves be forced to U-turn on winter fuel payments?"
Ed Balls said during the podcast that he thought the government needed “an escape route” from the policy.
Ed Balls said:
They need to find a creative way to do what they said they were going to do, close the in-year black hole, and find an alternative way to do it which could either be modifying what they’re doing on the winter allowance or finding some other way to close the black hole.
https://twitter.com/polcurrency/status/1831769270914838812
Labour MP for Hayes & Harlington and Former Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell, has also made his opinions clear on X:
Article sums up what I &, I believe, many Labour MPs are feeling about Winter Fuel Allowance. Unless there’s a serious change by Tuesday’s vote, I will be forced to vote against whilst threat of whip withdrawal will lead to others dissenting by abstaining.
https://twitter.com/johnmcdonnellMP/status/1831669321061355552
The Rt Hon Ms Diane Abbott, Labour MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington has posted to X to say "Old people will freeze this winter as a result".
Cutting winter fuel payments for pensioners is appalling. Old people will freeze this winter as a result.
https://twitter.com/HackneyAbbott/status/1831670846152175898
