Tory leadership hopeful Tom Tugendhat refuses to commit to reversing Labour's cuts to the winter fuel payment
1 October 2024, 08:20
Watch Again: Nick Ferrari is joined by Shadow Security Minister Tom Tugendhat | 01/10/24
Tom Tugendhat refused to commit to reversing Labour's cuts to the winter fuel payment if he becomes Tory leader, saying he would not "undermine" his promise to restore trust in politics by writing a budget "four years' out."
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Speaking to LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast the shadow security minister said: "I'm not going to write a budget for four years' time. You know that it wouldn't be honest for me to do so.
"I'm not going to promise to restore trust and immediately undermine it by making promises that are four years' out... there's no way that anyone can write it at this stage."
He said under his leadership the Tories would "look after old people" by "making sure we support them in difficult times".
Following Labour's election win, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the winter fuel payment - which had previously been universal - will only be available to those on pension credit or other means-tested benefits this year due to financial woes.
The conversation comes amid calls for the Government to reverse its controversial decision to cut winter fuel allowance for many pensioners after a strong message was sent from Labour's annual conference.
Delegates backed a union motion calling for the cut to be reversed, although the vote is not binding on the Government and ministers have made it clear the policy will not be changed.
Unite's general secretary Sharon Graham won several rounds of applause when she made a powerful plea for the allowance to be restored.
She told the Liverpool conference: "People simply do not understand, I do not understand, how our new Labour Government can cut the winter fuel allowance for pensioners and leave the super rich untouched.
"This is not what people voted for. It is the wrong decision and needs to be reversed.
"We are the sixth richest economy in the world. We have the money.
"Britain needs investment, not austerity mark two.
"We won't get any gold badge for shaving peanuts off our debt.
"Let's hold up our heads and be proud to be Labour.
"Let's put our arms round the working class and make lasting change."
Ms Graham added: "Our public services and British industry need investment now.
"It's no good having sympathy for workers at Grangemouth losing their jobs. They don't need pity.
"They need Labour to step up to the plate and not allow a billionaire, who buys a football club as a hobby, to throw these workers on the scrap heap.
"We cannot leave Britain at the whim of footloose corporations. Hoping for them to invest is a prayer, not a plan.
"Yes, Britain is broken. Yes, the Tories have left a mess and yes, they are to blame. But Labour is now in Government, and we can't keep making everyday people pay."
Alan Tate, of the Communication Workers Union (CWU), said the winter fuel payment cut had "overshadowed" the work of the new Labour Government.
He said: "The CWU has been inundated with emails and calls from our retired members worried about choosing between heating and eating."
