MPs ‘wrong’ to vote to cut universal fuel payment say Rotherham Lib Dems

Moved by councillor Adam Carter and seconded by councillor Drew Tarmey, a motion, titled “A Bad Start from the New Labour Government,” highlights that the Labour Party, after winning a majority in the 2024 general election, pledged not to increase taxes for working people.

However, the group adds that this commitment did not extend to maintaining support for vulnerable pensioners reliant on winter fuel payments.

The motion states: “The borough’s three MPs – John Healey, Sarah Champion and Jake Richards – were wrong to vote to remove universal winter fuel payments for pensioners.

“There was no manifesto commitment to the removal of universal winter fuel payments for pensioners.”

Rachel Reeves defended the decision to cut the payments – worth up to £300 – because of “reckless decisions” made by the previous government.

The Chancellor added that the winter fuel payment cut, worth about £1.5bn, is necessary to fill an alleged £22bn “black hole” in the budget left by the previous Conservative government.

The Rotherham Lib Dems also point out that the Labour group condemned the removal of the £20 Universal Credit uplift in 2021, in a motion which was backed by a majority in the council chamber.

With inflation recently returning to below the Bank of England’s target, the motion argues that the government now has increased fiscal capacity to support working individuals and families.

RMBC’s three Lib Dem councillors will ask group leaders to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Rotherham’s MPs, urging them to reinstate the Universal Credit uplift, express ‘regret’ that the borough’s three MPs voted to remove universal winter fuel payments, and oppose hikes to tax and national insurance for the self-employed and small to medium sized businesses.