Paul Kershaw, Unite housing branch and Socialist Party
Pensioners’ groups and unions, including the National Pensioners Convention, Scottish Pensioners Forum and Unite, rallied outside Parliament before lobbying MPs to oppose Starmer’s abolition of the universal winter fuel payment.
Unite branches where the campaign has been raised have found a big response from members and the lively crowd reflected the depth of feeling against this attack on pensioners.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham called on Labour MPs to listen to their constituents rather than the whips: “I do not understand how a Labour government can cut the winter fuel allowance for pensioners and leave the super-rich totally untouched,” she said.
“This is not what people voted for, it’s the wrong decision and needs to be reversed. Labour. Shame on you. They seem to be able to tax workers, everyday people, in a matter of weeks, as soon as they start work. Why is wealth tax so different?
“Shame on you, for delivering cuts to over 1.5 million disabled pensioners. And shame on you for not listening and accepting that this decision is wrong. Labour, it’s time to change course. To reverse these cuts before it is too late. Before our NHS is overrun with sick older people or pensioners die from the cold. This austerity cut to winter fuel needs to be scrapped.”
A Unite resolution was passed at Labour conference opposing the cut but there has been no sign of the government doing a U-turn. Sharon Graham spoke for millions but this shows unions such as Unite, despite being affiliated to the Labour Party, do not have a party that will fight for our members.
The government was forced to publish a Department for Work and Pensions “equality analysis” of the cut’s impact. It shows 90% of pensioners aged between 66 and 79, and eight out of ten over-80s, would lose their allowance.
The official report also revealed that 1.6 million disabled people will lose entitlement to the allowance, despite the fact they often have an extra need to heat their home.
John McDonnell, the Labour MP suspended for voting to scrap the two-child benefit cap, said: “I wasn’t elected to impoverish our own constituents but to protect them. That’s what Labour MPs are supposed to do isn’t it?” But the vast majority of Labour MPs have stuck to the government line.
The Socialist Party says:
- Reverse the winter fuel payment cut
- Decent pensions for all
- Stop energy price hikes – nationalise the energy industry
- We need a new mass workers’ party that will make the super-rich pay and fight for socialist change