Labour’s move to scrap the winter fuel allowance for millions has sailed through Parliament, as expected. MPs rejected a Tory motion to reverse the cut by 348 to 228. Yet it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Starmer, as 53 of his own Labour backbenchers failed to back the policy, with one—Jon Trickett—even siding with the Tories and voting against it. While some absentees were chalked up to official business, the numbers are still a blow to Starmer. It’s worse than his last controversial policy put to the Commons, the two-child benefit cap, where the whips managed to secure 363 votes. Meanwhile, opposition parties are still fuelled with rage over the policy…
Speaking to Sky News off the back of Rachel Reeves’ Air Passenger Duty hike, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said:
“Labour is dependent on those Red Wall seats, and yet every move she makes poisons economic growth and damages the UK’s recovery… it’s the Chancellor who stumbles from policy misstep to policy misstep… I think her policy decisions are incredibly stupid.”