Aylesbury MP backs 'tough decision' to cut winter fuel payments for pensioners

In a statement released yesterday (10 September), Aylesbury’s first Labour MP, Laura Kyrke-Smith, said the Government must make “tough decisions” to revive the economy it inherited.

Ms Kyrke-Smith was one of 348 MPs who voted for the money-saving measure with 228 politicians voting against the removal of the winter fuel allowance. In her party 52 MPs abstained from voting with one Labour MP voting against the change.

Conservative Mid Buckinghamshire MP Greg Smith called the results of the vote “absolutely unbelievable” on social media.

Speaking outside of the House of Commons he said the allowance was a “vital lifeline” for pensioners and that over 19,000 members of his constituency would be affected.

It is projected that 10 million pensioners in the UK will lose out on Government payments as a result of the change. Only the poorest elderly pensioners in England and Wales will now qualify for the allowance.

Ms Kyrke-Smith said: “Unfortunately, given the dire state of the finances that we have inherited from the Conservatives, this Government is having to make some tough decisions and this is one of them.

“I am however determined that the most vulnerable pensioners in Aylesbury and the villages get the right support. I am encouraging people to check their eligibility for pension credit and register if they haven’t already.”

Since being voted into power in July, the Labour Party claims that it has inherited £22bn of unfunded spending commitments left by the previous Government.

However, Mr Smith said: “This is a political choice Labour have made to take away from pensioners and give to already highly-paid train drivers.”

He was referencing a deal made with train drivers’ union Aslef which will see the Government raise wages for workers by roughly 15 per cent over a three-year period.

Ms Kyrke-Smith also outlined other ways the Government is supporting pensioners, adding: “The bedrock of our support for all pensioners is our commitment to the Triple Lock, which we will maintain throughout the course of this Parliament. The Triple Lock saw the new state pension rise by over £900 this year, and a further rise will be announced in the budget next month.”