DUP demand Conservative U-turn over benefits and 'dementia tax'
TORY plans to cut pensioners’ benefits are set to be scrapped as part of a parliamentary deal with Democratic Unionist Party MPs, it emerged yesterday.
Sources in Northern Ireland say dropping Tory manifesto proposals to introduce means-testing for winter fuel payments and abandoning the “triple lock” on the state pension are likely to be among the demands for propping up the Government.
Theresa May’s so-called “dementia tax” plan, based on property assets worth more than £100,000 to pay for social care, could also be rejected.
DUP leader Arlene Foster is expected to meet the Prime Minister at Downing Street tomorrow to agree a “confidence and supply” deal in which her party’s 10 MPs will vote with the Tories on key issues.
Her party opposed the proposed cuts to pensioner benefits.
It is understood DUP MPs drew up a “wish list” of demands on Friday.
Keeping manifesto promises to protect pensioners were said to be key priorities on the list.
According to reports yesterday, a DUP source said: “We wouldn’t agree with parts of the Conservative manifesto.
I can understand how some people switched from supporting them three weeks ago to actually saying, ‘If this is the way they’re going to deal with these people I wouldn’t be happy’. “I’m talking about older people and the dementia tax. Those issues… have resonated.”
DUP MPs also want a firm commitment that soldiers and police officers will be protected from prosecution for actions during the Northern Ireland “Troubles”.