UPDATE – FACT CHECK:
“First ladies’ outfits are not paid for with taxpayer dollars.”
“The job doesn’t come with a clothing allowance.“
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You’re either in front of Guido, or you are behind…
Perpetual moaner Diane Abbott, Mother of the House, has taken up whinging about Labour again, after a brief pause following her return of the whip. Speaking at the Southbank Centre in London yesterday, Abbott trotted out the familiar grievance: “there is no doubt that there’s institutional racism in the Labour Party.” Conveniently leaving out the fact she herself spent over a year under investigation for… racism. Naturally, she labelled that inquiry as racist as well…
Abbott went on to accuse Starmer of being “harsher than Tony Blair” in his purge of the Corbynistas, stating that “the Left of the party is on the downturn at the minute.” Someone grab the tissues..
It’s no secret Starmer’s decision to scrap the winter fuel allowance has proved controversial, not just with opposition parties, within his own party as well. Now Labour councils are coming up with their own ways to ease the impact on pensioners...
Labour-led Basildon council are introducing its own alternative to the winter fuel payment scheme – Warm Home Guarantee –handing out £100 for 1000 lucky local pensioners – £100,000 of council taxpayers’ money. The stated goal on the council’s website is to help eligible pensioners access the Winter Fuel Allowance and provide additional hardship payments for those struggling with heating costs. Cllr Gavin Callaghan, Labour Leader of Basildon Council, said:
“With rising energy costs, many pensioners are facing tough choices this winter. While we can’t change government policy, we can take local action to protect our most vulnerable residents…The Warm Home Guarantee is about ensuring no pensioner in Basildon faces the cold alone.”
Local Labour politicians are clearly panicking over Reeves’ budget. Will other Labour councils dip into local taxpayers’ pockets to cover the fallout?
Former leader of the SNP in Westminster Ian Blackford told Times Radio why he believes Nicola Sturgeon’s claim that she spent no time in the kitchen and therefore didn’t see any of her husband’s purchases:
“She doesn’t have a passion for cooking.”