Last night The Guardian reported that Downing Street is mulling a retreat on the widely-hated winter fuel allowance cuts, raising the income threshold from £11,500 – widening access to the benefit for pensioners. An issue that cropped up relentlessly on doorsteps during the locals and helped hand Labour a thumping at the polls…
Number 10 tried to pour cold water over the reports, insisting they were not reviewing the policy, despite growing chorus of Labour backbenchers demanding a full reversal. Health secretary Wes Streeting was wheeled out on the morning round today – he didn’t deny the talks were taking place, instead admitting that the government will inevitably get things wrong. Speaking to Sky News, he said:
“I’m not aware of those discussions if they’re taking place… I’m not going to speculate. Look, we’re always listening and we’re always looking at how policies that we’re enacting make a difference. I dare say over the coming years there will be bumps in the road. We’re going to make mistakes.”
A change from the government’s previous insistence that the policy was set in stone. Another Labour U-turn may soon join the growing list…
Sarah Pochin at Reform Scotland’s manifesto launch event: “I really wanted to come on in a Reform tartan burka, but apparently I wasn’t allowed… One day let’s do one of these events not live-streamed. We’ll do all the naughty stuff…”