UK politics live: Starmer announces winter fuel payments U-turn at PMQs

The Tories look like in complete disarray over winter gasoline funds, with Kemi Badenoch’s official spokesperson failing to decide to reversing the coverage regardless of urgent for Labour to take action.

The spokesperson mentioned the occasion would not have reduce winter gasoline funds within the first place, however pressed on whether or not they would decide to reversing the coverage, he refused to be drawn.

“I am not going to put in writing financial coverage right here”, he insisted.

It comes regardless of the occasion repeatedly calling for Sir Keir Starmer to reverse the coverage.

By Kate Devlin, Whitehall Editor

One among Rachel Reeves’s first selections when she turned chancellor final summer time was to strip 10 million pensioners of their winter gasoline funds.

The transfer was designed to indicate that Labour might take powerful decisions and was critical about checking out the economic system.

However, within the weeks and months since, it has confirmed poisonous for each her occasion and her authorities. But Keir Starmer has now mentioned he desires to verify “extra pensioners are eligible”.

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Downing Road has been accused of breaching belief with the media after U-turning on winter gasoline – simply two weeks after categorically insisting they’d no plans to take action.

In a tense press briefing after prime minister’s questions, Sir Keir’s spokesperson was accused of one of the crucial obtrusive cases of deceptive the media since Boris Johnson’s authorities – which repeatedly denied that events befell in Downing Road throughout lockdown.

Responding to the criticism over winter gasoline, the prime minister’s spokesperson insisted that the adjustments had been made because of the enhancing financial image.

However he was unable to elucidate why he had mentioned there have been no plans to make adjustments to the coverage a matter of days earlier.

The obvious U-turn on winter gasoline funds was welcomed by a charity however the organisation warned of a disgrace and stigma amongst these in want.

Lucy Bannister, head of coverage and influencing at Turn2us, mentioned: “We welcome the prime minister’s indication that the Authorities plans to widen eligibility for winter gasoline cost, serving to extra low-income pensioners to remain heat and protected this winter. We hear from folks yearly concerning the distinction this assist makes.

“However we stay involved that a whole bunch of hundreds of eligible pensioners nonetheless miss out annually resulting from a posh software course of, lack of understanding, and stigma.

“Many really feel disgrace for needing assist, a direct results of how advantages are too typically talked about by politicians and the media. The Authorities should urgently guarantee its narrative round its wider social safety reforms reduces this stigma, simplify the system, and proactively attain these being left behind.”

Recent adjustments to the federal government’s winter gasoline reduce are usually not anticipated to be put in place till Autumn on the earliest, Downing Road has indicated.

The prime minister’s official spokesperson mentioned they’ll unveil the element of the adjustments on the “subsequent fiscal occasion”. Given he additionally dominated out an emergency price range, this implies it’s going to happen on the Price range in October.

Nevertheless, questions stay over whether or not or not this may imply the adjustments shall be in place for the approaching winter.

Pressed on whether or not extra pensioners can anticipate to obtain the funds this winter, the PM’s official spokesperson wouldn’t be drawn on actual timings.

Sir Keir Starmer made a jab at Nigel Farage throughout Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday (21 Could), stating that the Reform UK chief, who’s at present holidaying in France, was “first by the e-gates”.

Mr Farage missed a parliamentary debate on a Brexit reset yesterday, the place the prime minister offered his new UK-EU deal, with entry to e-gates being a vital a part of the settlement.

Talking to Reform UK MP Lee Anderson within the Home of Commons, Sir Keir mentioned it was “excellent” to see him standing in for the Clacton MP.

After months of ruling out a U-turn over the federal government’s controversial resolution to means-test the pensioners’ winter gasoline allowance, Keir Starmer confirmed a retreat at Prime Minister’s Questions right this moment, Andrew Grice writes.

He mentioned the federal government desires to make sure “extra pensioners are eligible for winter gasoline funds” and mentioned it might take a look at the £11,500 earnings threshold at which they lose it. Ministers might resolve to revive the allowance in full, however I believe they’ll persist with their line that millionaires who don’t want it shouldn’t get it.

I’m informed the chancellor instigated the rethink, belying her status for stubbornness – and that 10 Downing Road, after preliminary warning, is now coming spherical to the concept. Polls recommend an about-turn could be seen as robust quite than weak.

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Downing Road was unable to say what number of extra pensioners would obtain winter gasoline funds or whether or not the reforms could be in place this winter.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman mentioned Sir Keir wished the adjustments to be launched “as rapidly as doable”.

The adjustments will solely be set out at a “fiscal occasion” – with Rachel Reeves’ autumn price range the primary such alternative except the Authorities breaks with its schedule.

Requested if the adjustments could be in place this coming winter, the spokesman mentioned: “We clearly need to ship this as rapidly as doable, however the Prime Minister was very clear within the Home that this needs to be finished in an inexpensive approach, in a funded approach, and that is why these selections shall be taken at a future fiscal occasion.”

Web migration is anticipated to fall by over 250,000, in keeping with suppose tank British Future. New statistics on the movement of individuals into the UK are anticipated from the ONS tomorrow and researchers predict a downward pattern. Within the 12 months ending June 2024, web migration to the UK was 728,000.

Sunder Katwala, director of British Future, mentioned: “Falling web migration is one in every of Britain’s best-kept secrets and techniques. The ONS figures will present a dramatic fall, most likely by over 1 / 4 of 1,000,000, however that can come as an entire shock to 90% of the general public. Immigration stays excessive however is far decrease than the earlier peaks. It’s going to probably fall additional.”