Labour blocks Winter Fuel Allowance vote as 10m pensioners at risk after axe
The Government has used its powers to lay secondary legislation, which does not require a debate in the House of Commons.
Labour is set to deny MPs a vote on their hated decision to axe winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners.
The Government has used its powers to lay secondary legislation, which does not require a debate in the House of Commons.
Both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats are pushing for a vote on the scrapping of the cold weather payments this week.
But with some Labour MPs uneasy over the move, Government sources have admitted “we are not going to do that”.
Responding, Mel Stride MP, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, said: “Labour are running scared over their plans to cut Winter Fuel Payments for pensioners.
"Not only do they want to block Parliament having a say on their plans, they have not published an impact assessment as they want to hide the true costs to pensioners.
“There is no reason not to grant this debate and vote on this other than to ride roughshod over Parliament - the only reason Labour aren’t granting one is because they are running scared of asking their own MPs to vote on this matter. Labour know axing the Winter Fuel Payment is the wrong thing to do. They’ve made this choice and they cannot defend it.”
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Shadow Treasury Minister Laura Trott said: “After handing billions in inflation-busting pay rises to their union paymasters, no one believes Labour’s chicken little strategy.
“They should stop trying to deceive the public with ridiculous fantasies and instead have the courage to let parliament debate cuts to Winter Fuel Payments for the sake of those pensioners who will lose out thanks to the decisions of this government.”
The End Fuel Poverty Coalition has warned pensioners missing out on the payments could be left £500 worse off this winter.
The new rules are due to come into force on September 16. The Government insisted it was “absolutely committed” to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security in retirement.
“But given the dire state of the public finances we have inherited, it’s right that we target support to those who need it most while we take the difficult decisions needed to fix the foundations of our economy,” a spokesman added.
The Daily Express's crusade to save the payments has been backed by politicians on the left and right.
Campaigners warned the government the "wrath of older people will rain down on them" if it goes ahead with the winter fuel payment cuts.
New polling by the Silver Voices campaign group found its members are overwhelmingly in favour of mass days of action in protest at the controversial decision to strip most pensioners of the allowance.
Some 93 percent of respondents in the poll of 3,000 people said they would back withdrawing voluntary work that supports public services in a bid to force a U-turn.
