Meanwhile a poll revealed that half of elderly Brits will now heat their homes less often despite the Chancellor Rachel Reeves insisting pensioners will be £1,700 better off.
The poll comes before MPs will vote this afternoon on the Government’s controversial cut, which critics have warned will force millions of older people to turn down their heating this winter.
Sir Keir Starmer is expected to use his huge Commons majority to force through the measure, despite protests by dozens of Labour MPs who fear a huge electoral backlash.
Union barons accused ministers of ‘picking pensioners’ pockets’. In an ominous intervention, the Unite union urged Sir Keir to abandon the ‘very cruel’ policy.
Tory work and pensions spokesman Mel Stride urged Labour to listen to their constituents.
Throwing down the gauntlet to Labour MPs, he said: ‘Do as you said you would and put the country before your party. Vote with us in Parliament, not against us.
‘Change course and reverse your cruel choice to remove the winter fuel payment from millions of vulnerable pensioners.
‘Many driven into fuel poverty this winter will have to choose between heating and eating because of Starmer. And, if Labour MPs let this abhorrent policy go through, it will be because of them too.’
Rachel Reeves last night told panicking Labour MPs she would not back down – and suggested pensioners could afford to tighten their belts this winter following a big rise in the state pension.
The Chancellor said she did not ‘relish’ the cut, but warned there would be ‘more difficult decisions to come’ in next month’s Budget.
Ministers have refused to publish an assessment of the likely impact of the cut, which will save £1.5 billion a year.
The Mail revealed yesterday that research commissioned by Labour in 2017 warned that means-testing the benefit, which is worth up to £300, would lead to almost 4,000 extra deaths each winter as pensioners struggled to keep the heat on.
A new assessment by the Resolution Foundation think-tank yesterday warned that 1.3 million of the poorest pensioners would be driven deeper into poverty by the move.
Former Labour frontbencher Richard Burgon said the plan ‘will result in the death of pensioners who won’t be able to turn the heating on’.
Unite union boss Sharon Graham called on ministers to abandon the plans and introduce a wealth tax....<<<Read More>>>...
