Lee Anderson in fiery speech over winter fuel payments: ‘You should be ashamed!’ | Politics | News

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By Maya Cantina

Lee Anderson launched a scathing attack on the Labour Party for taking away pensioners’ winter fuel payments.

The Reform MP said it was an “absolute disgrace” that most older people would miss out on payments under plans unveiled by Sir Keir Starmergovernment.

The Ashfield MP told GB News: “We are sending around £11bn or £12bn a year abroad to help people on their crazy net zero journeys. We have illegal migration costing us billions of pounds a year.

“Our poor old pensioners who have worked all their lives, many of them in difficult jobs, have not achieved much state pension.

“If they are just a little bit over that limit over their pension credit limit, they lose £300 a year. It’s criminal.

“How can I explain to my constituents that people who come in small boats, we pick them up, put them in hotels and we are spending money on these illegal migrants who have no right to be here.

“It’s okay, Mrs. Jones, a 90-year-old lady who has worked her whole life, we’ll take your Winter fuel payment out of you. It’s an absolute disgrace and this country should be ashamed of itself.”

Mr Anderson insisted there should be a vote on the policy in the House of Commons.

The former Tory deputy chairman said: “I hope we can have an opposition debate on winter fuel payments at some point. No doubt Labour will try to delay the issue.

“There was no debate about it, it wasn’t in their manifesto, they found this imaginary £22bn black hole.

“They really upset millions of retirees across the country. Sir Keir Starmer lied about it, he was dishonest and deceitful.

“Imagine if the Reformists or the Conservatives had made that decision, they would have been furious.”

Chancellor Rachel Reeves sparked a furious backlash with her announcement that winter fuel payments would be restricted to those receiving pension credit.

Payments of up to £300 a year were previously available to all pensioners, regardless of income.

Ms Reeves blamed the state of public finances and accused the Conservatives of leaving a £22 billion black hole.

But the move has drawn criticism from opposition parties, charities and even some Labour MPs.

The Labour Party’s election manifesto pledged to maintain the state pension triple lock but winter fuel payments were not mentioned in the document.

Sir Keir today insisted the decision, which aims to save around £1.5 billion this year, would help “fix the fundamentals of our economy”.

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