Cornwall's Labour MPs defend voting to scrap winter fuel allowance

File picture of a pensioner trying to stay warm by the electric heater at home
-Credit: (Image: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)


Cornwall's four Labour MPs have come under fire for voting with the Government against a Tory bid to stop it from scrapping the winter fuel allowance. Labour's Perran Moon, the MP for Camborne and Redruth, Jayne Kirkham, MP for Truro and Falmouth, Noah Law, MP for St Austell and Newquay and Anna Gelderd, the MP for South East Cornwall, all voted against a Conservative motion which would have blocked the government's plans to means-test the winter fuel allowance.

The Labour government won a vote over the plan to restrict the payments to all but the poorest pensioners by 348 votes to 228 - a majority of 120. Fifty-two Labour MPs did not take part in the vote, including seven ministers, but it is not clear how many deliberately abstained or were absent from Parliament for another reason.

Only one Labour MP, Jon Trickett, voted against the government, on what he said could "be a matter of life and death" for his constituents. Cornwall's Liberal Democrat MPs for St Ives and North Cornwall, sided with other opposition MPs in voting in favour of the Tory motion.

READ MORE:Tiny Cornish hut is the smallest building belonging to the National Trust anywhere

READ MORE:Woman-beating Cornwall ex-soldier's early release 'sickens' victim

Under the Government scheme, the winter fuel payment will now be means tested but will continue to be made to only but the poorest pensioners if they are already receiving other means-tested benefits, such as Pension Credit. The winter fuel payments of either £200 or £300 are normally made in November and December and will still be paid to all pensioners claiming pension credit to top up a low income.

The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday that the impact on the 10 million pensioners losing out would be lessened by the fact pensions were rising by 4 per cent in April, increasing the full state pension by £460 a year. However the move has been condemned, with the Conservative Party already accusing Labour of lying and renegading on their elections manifesto.

The Tories in Cornwall said the decision could affect some 80,000 pensioners in the four seats held by Labour MPs in Cornwall. Conservative group leader and leader of Cornwall Council Cllr Linda Taylor said: “I was very disappointed indeed to see the four Labour MPs who currently represent Cornwall vote to cut the Winter Fuel Payment for tens of thousands of Cornish pensioners today.”

“This is typical Labour politics of saying one thing prior to the election and then doing something entirely different afterwards.”

Sign up to receive daily updates and breaking news alerts from CornwallLive straight to your inbox

She added: "Cornwall has an ageing population with greater numbers of people disproportionately affected by Labour’s cuts than elsewhere, but it is clear that our Labour MPs have just followed their Whip’s orders and not voted in the interests of their constituents. Taking this cruel decision and its impact aside, have they even considered how much it is going to cost to administer the means testing?

“With these cuts, as well as the looming utility bill increases on the horizon, both in direct contradiction of Labour’s promises before the election, I am frankly worried and disturbed about what they will do next.”

St Ives Lib Dem MP Andrew George, who voted in favour of the motion not to scrap the Winter Fuel Allowance, said the original motion was actually put through by the Lib Dem but was claimed by the Conservatives as their own as the 'official' opposition.

Mr George said: "The cut will hit many thousands in Cornwall who will be left in significant fuel poverty. If the Government wanted to withdraw entitlement from those pensioners on the highest tax band or who live in properties in the higher council tax bands, we may have supported them. But there are plenty of other ways the government can deal with this without hitting low income households, as this does."

He added: "The Prime Minister claims that ‘those with the broadest shoulders will bear the greatest burden’ – but the government should be closing tax loopholes and tax dodges taken advantage of by the wealthy, rather than making those who are already struggling pay for this.

“Of course, the government must fill the black hole in public finances left by the previous Conservative government – but it should be reversing widening inequality, not extending it."

His colleague in North Cornwall, Ben Maguire, added: "The government could have easily removed the benefit for all pensioners on higher rate of tax or included those who are in receipt of housing benefit. Instead they have introduced a cruel and callous cliff-edge. We will keep lobbying the government to ensure proper support is put in place for these vulnerable constituents.

“While we understand the dire state the Conservatives left the public finances in, now is not the time to be cutting support to some of the most vulnerable people in our society.”

Mr Moon said the mess left behind by 14 years of Tory government was such that some tough decisions that no-one on Labour likes to take have to be taken to grow the economy and roll back the damage caused by the previous administration.

He said: "After 14 years of Conservative incompetence we have to take tough decisions to put the economy back on its feet.

"We have protected the poorest pensioners so they will still receive the winter fuel allowance. We are encouraging the 800,000 pensioners in the UK who re entitled to Pension Credit to claim it. And to those above the threshold, no other group in society is sheltered from inflation as pensioners with the triple lock. We were elected on a mandate of change to grow the economy so we can fix our crumbling services and it is what are going to do. But we do have to take tough measures to fix the mess the Tories created."

Ms Kirkham added: "The triple lock means that the state pension went up £900 this year and will go up over £460 next year. The Government has extended the Household Support Fund which is worth £9 million per year to Cornwall and is used to directly help people who are struggling as well as those organisations like Energy advice from Community Energy Plus.

"The country’s finances were left in a mess. A huge black hole in this year’s budget. This Government is trying to restore the financial foundations we need to do that. But we have to make sure people are looked after in the short term until we get to the place where we need to and should be which is why all the measures above are important."

Ms Gelderd, Labour MP for South East Cornwall, defended her decision to go with the Government. On her Facebook page she wrote: "By moving to means-testing, we can ensure that pensioners who need support the most will continue to receive it. This will also allow the government to save money and address the deficit in the country’s finances left by the Tories.

"This change will be difficult and unfortunately there is no easy option. However, support is still available including the triple lock maintained, the Governments Warm Homes Plan, the extension of the Household Support Fund extended, Savings Credit and continued access to free prescriptions and bus travel."

She added: "I promised to do politics differently, which is why I want to be transparent about how I voted. There are no easy answers in politics, but inaction when it comes to repairing our country is not an option."

Mr Law in St Austell and Newquay, also defended his vote. He said that means testing the Winter Fuel Allowance is the right thing to do but insisted the vote is not the end of the matter.

On his Facebook page he added: "I want to make it clear to the Government, as I did in my question to Treasury colleagues last week, that action is needed to address the financial security of pensioners just above the eligibility threshold and bring down energy bills for good, urgently."

He shared his letter to Ed Milliband, Secretary of State Energy Security and Net Zero, in which he wrote: "I have raised my concerns about that group of lower income pensioners just above the eligibility threshold who will now miss out on the allowance, suggesting the Chancellor should explore ways to shield them from facing tax burdens as a means of addressing those concerns.

"I'm glad that pension income will rise up to £400 as a result of our commitment to the triple lock, and over the long-term, significantly in real terms - a protection afforded to no other group in society, and which will support a normalisation of state pension income, which is low by European standards."

⚠️ Want the latest Cornwall breaking news and top stories first? Click here to join CornwallLive on WhatsApp and we'll send breaking news and top stories directly to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice⚠️