Southwark Labour Votes to Keep Pensioners Cold

At last night’s Council Assembly (20 November), Southwark Labour unanimously rejected a motion that would have called on the Government to reverse its decision to withdraw the Winter Fuel Payment from pensioners this winter.   

This comes after the Labour council U-turned on its initial rejection of Liberal Democrat proposals to create a targeted support fund for those who will only just miss out on the payments by going slightly over the earnings threshold. 

The council confirmed that it would in fact be going ahead with such a scheme, following rollouts of similar programmes by Liberal Democrat councils like Sutton and Portsmouth.  

However, the Liberal Democrats have slammed Southwark Labour as “playing politics with pensioners”, and choosing to act as if the change to the fuel payments wasn’t an active choice from a Labour government. 

During the debate, Labour councillors were seen squirming as Liberal Democrats cited public figures like Carol Vorderman and Martin Lewis, and former Labour MP for Peckham Harriet Harman, who had all expressed concern about the change. 

Commenting, Southwark Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Cllr Rachel Bentley said:  

“On one of the coldest evenings of the year so far, it was deeply upsetting to see Southwark Labour reject our call to reverse the withdrawal of Winter Fuel Payments from our most vulnerable residents. As councillors, we see every day how complex systems let people down – there will be pensioners who fall through the gaps this winter. 

Instead, the Labour group chose to make party political points and jokes about Mick Jagger. As Southwark Labour continue to struggle to come to terms with a Labour government making wrong choices, Liberal Democrats will continue to provide the robust, progressive opposition that we need.” 

Southwark Liberal Democrat Leader of the Opposition Cllr Victor Chamberlain added: 

“Labour will try to spin their way out of this, but the reality is that their amendment and motion was all about covering for Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves’ cruel and unnecessary decisions. We voted against Labour spin and bluster, and focused on standing up for pensioners this winter.” 

ENDS 

 NOTES 

Time stamps of Liberal Democrat speeches below