In the latest “uniparty” development the Tories are continuing to rage against Labour’s sound economic decision to means test Gordon Brown’s Winter Fuel Allowance. Known colloquially in endowed circles as the “Champagne Allowance”…

Guido hears local Tory associations are fired up and busy planning protests involving blanket-clad octogenarians turning up at the town hall. The Daily Express has meanwhile launched its “Save Winter Fuel Payments” campaign and got all six Tory leadership contenders to sign up with it. Which proves as The Times opines this morning that “If leadership means anything it is the willingness to put principle before immediate popularity. So far in this competition, the goal that serious Tories pride themselves on prioritising above all others, sound money, is running a distant second to ­gesture politics.” This issue demonstrates just how committed the leadership contenders are to returning to true Conservative ideals…

Senior Tories say pretty much the only thing that has cut through so far under Labour is Reeves’ decision to cut the benefit and deprive retired hedge fund managers of their £300. Expect more socialist bleating in the months to come…

Labour’s casting around for cash to fund its political projects is descending into farce. They’re struggling to keep a straight face on the media round…

Just two months ago Starmer made a big song and dance about the elderly’s inability to pay their heating bills, which he described in a campaign video as “awful” and “the biggest thing in the world” which “eats away at people“. Darren Jones sent a formal complaint over rumours that the Winter Fuel Allowance would be means tested last year. Meanwhile, Wes Streeting told the BBC just a few weeks ago:

 “One of the things that we have committed to is, obviously the cap on care costs is due to come in, I have wanted to give the system the certainty this side of the election of knowing we are not planning to come in and upend that and scrap that.”

 Means testing benefits is fine, deceiving the public over what your priorities are isn’t…

Downing Street has just announced a “Ministerial Taskforce” on child poverty after days of open clamouring from backbenchers for the government to scrap the two-child benefit limit. Liz Kendall and Bridget Phillipson will lead it. There are “heavy hints” it will address the two-child cap and probably get rid of it…

Labour left-wingers planned to table an amendment to the King’s Speech which would remove the cap. Is backbench clamouring and a few tense media interviews with Cabinet members all it takes to ditch “fiscal responsibility”?

Cabinet Ministers have not been shy in freelancing on economic policy over the last few days, with Suella Braverman now attacking the Government’s reversal of a cut to the 45p rate of tax. Speaking to Christopher Hope this afternoon, the Home Secretary expressed her “disappointment” at the U-turn, and criticised the rebels who effectively “staged a coup” against the PM. She’s not one to mince her words…

The blue-on-blue fighting didn’t end there, with Levelling Up Secretary Simon Clarke taking to Twitter to support Suella:

Suella speaks a lot of good sense, as usual. https://t.co/EHEPhhZ0sX

— Simon Clarke MP (@SimonClarkeMP) October 4, 2022

Jacob Rees-Mogg was also quick to voice his disappointment at the scrapped cut at a fringe event this afternoon, although he claimed to recognise the politics of the move. This all comes in the context of public cabinet battles over benefits, and Penny Mordaunt’s attacks on government comms. Meanwhile backbench agitators continue briefing out plans to rebel, with some now even claiming they’re holding “crisis” talks about Liz’s leadership. Truss has been PM for 28 days. Not quite the honeymoon period she would’ve hoped for…

Rishi Sunak has blamed the Treasury’s outdated software for not allowing him to raise benefits in an interview with Bloomberg. It’s not the first time the excuse has come to light; a Times article last Thursday revealed officials had told the Chancellor he could only raise benefits once a year at a certain point, with a government source saying “the system was simply not built to be flexible.” Sunak’s now explained the problem on the record. If it is true it is unacceptably pathetic, it also makes him sound a lot like a certain Little Britain character…