Keir Starmer defends winter fuel payment cut as SNP urges Scottish Labour rebellion

Sir Keir Starmer admitted his government is going to have to be “unpopular” as he defended the controversial cut to winter fuel payments amid the threat of a backbench rebellion in the Commons.

The Prime Minister said whether or not MPs will be suspended from the party for voting against the move on Tuesday would be “a matter for the chief whip”, as the SNP appealed to Scottish Labour members to rebel.

Sir Keir said yesterday that his government was making the “difficult” decisions now to plug a £22 billion black hole in public finances.

“I’m absolutely convinced that we will only deliver that change if we do the difficult things now,” he said.

“I know they’re unpopular, I know they’re difficult.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was interviewed by the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg. | Jeff Overs/BBC/Press Association.

“Of course they’re tough choices - tough decisions are tough decisions.

“Popular decisions aren’t tough, they’re easy. I recognise how difficult it is for some people.

“I do recognise it’s hard for some pensioners. But of course, they do rely on the NHS, they do rely on public transport, so these things aren’t completely divorced.”

He said cutting winter fuel payments for all but the poorest pensioners is necessary if the Labour government is going to reduce public spending.

Sir Keir added: “I’m absolutely clear in my own mind that we can’t bring about that change if we don’t fix the fundamentals and stabilise our economy.”

The Prime Minister also said: “Talking to many pensioners in the last two or three years, the things that have hit the most and hardest are inflation, because it got out of control under the last government, energy bills, because the steps that were needed to be taken years ago weren’t taken, and the cost-of-living.

“I’m determined that no pensioner will ever be put through that - that’s why we’re fixing the foundations now, tough though that may be.”

Ahead of Tuesday’s crunch vote, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has written to Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and all Scottish Labour MPs, saying they should vote against the government to “protect Scottish pensioners and defend Scotland’s budget”.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn.

Winter fuel payments are being devolved to Holyrood for the first time this year, and when Chancellor Rachel Reeves first announced her government’s intention to means test the benefit, Scottish ministers said they were determined to keep the payments universal.

However the Scottish Government said it was forced to follow suit and means test the payments as the funding coming to Holyrood for the payments will be cut by £160 million.

In his letter Mr Flynn said 860,000 Scottish pensioners could lose up to £500 a year because of the “draconian Labour austerity cuts”.

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Mr Flynn said: “During the UK general election, the Labour Party promised voters in Scotland you would end austerity cuts and lower energy bills.

“Yet within weeks, the Labour government has already broken its promise.

“It is a political choice, driven by your obsession with copying Tory fiscal rules.”

The Aberdeen South MP also warned pensioners will “face a bitter winter” without these payments, adding it will “make life harder for them”.

He added: “I urge you to do the right thing - protect Scottish pensioners and defend Scotland’s budget by voting against Keir Starmer’s winter fuel payment cuts tomorrow.”

When asked yesterday if would-be rebels would lose the whip, the Prime Minister would not rule it out.

He said: “That will be a matter for the chief whip.

“We’re going into a vote, and I’m glad we’re going to a vote, because I think it’s very important for parliament to speak on this.

“But every Labour MP was elected on the same mandate as I was, which was to deliver the change that we need for the country.”

Seven MPs had the Labour whip removed in July for supporting an amendment to end the two-child benefit cap.

On Sunday UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he is “not remotely happy” at voting to “take money away” from pensioners by means testing winter fuel payments.

However, he said he agrees it is an essential move to balance the books.

He said: “I think it is a tough choice, and we’ve had plenty of political criticism for it, I think, which demonstrates the political pain of it.

UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting. | Press Association.

“I’m not remotely happy about it, and I’m not remotely happy about having to say to some of my constituents ‘I’m sorry that I’m going into work this week to vote for something that will take money away from you’.”

A number of backbench Labour MPs have spoken out about the plans to limit winter fuel payments since their party won the general election.

However it is not yet clear how they intend to vote in Tuesday’s debate on the issue.

Last week Neil Duncan-Jordan MP wrote an early day motion calling for the changes to winter fuel payments to be delayed.

The motion was signed by 18 current and former Labour MPs, but it is understood he was told to take this down by Labour whips.

Rosie Duffield MP also said newly-elected Labour MPs who oppose the cuts will not feel “safe” voting against it.

She said: “I think it’s very important for those who have been there before to make a point because perhaps the newer or younger MPs don’t feel quite so safe doing that at this stage of their career.”

Scottish Labour was approached for comment.