Budget: 'Cuts to winter fuel payments impact most vulnerable'

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set out a series of spending cuts on Monday which aim to address a £21.9bn ‘black hole’ in the UK’s public spending for this year that Labour claims has been left behind by the previous Tory government.

The savings outlined include scrapping winter fuel payments for pensioners - worth between £100 and £300 - who do not currently receive pension credit or other means-tested benefits. A number of transport projects were also abandoned.

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The SNP’s Stuart McMillan, who is MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, today hit out at the measures, claiming that Labour was breaking promises made to the electorate.

However, Inverclyde’s recently elected Labour MP Martin McCluskey laid the blame squarely at the feet of the previous government and said his party was protecting the ‘poorest pensioners’.

(Image: Newsquest)

Mr McMillan told the Telegraph: “The SNP warned during the general election that Labour were planning major spending cuts.

“Labour accused the SNP of scaremongering, but Chancellor Rachel Reeves has confirmed cuts are on the way.

“Will Anas Sarwar now apologise to voters for his ‘read my lips’ comment, promising there would be ‘no austerity under Labour’?

“To make matters worse, Labour have chosen to take money away from some of the most vulnerable people in the UK – by scrapping universal winter fuel payments for pensioners.

“During the cost-of-living surgeries I have held, I’ve repeatedly spoken to older people who’re worried about their energy bills.

“This decision by Labour will only intensify that worry amongst elderly people, especially as we have an older, and growing older, population in Inverclyde.

“Already Labour are breaking their promise that austerity wouldn’t continue under their government, and it looks like the poorest and most vulnerable will suffer at Labour’s hands.

“No change from the Tories then.”

Commenting on Ms Reeves’ announcement, Mr McCluskey said it was ‘clear’ that the previous Tory government had played ‘fast and loose’ with public finances.

(Image: George Munro)

He added:  “They have spent all the reserves three times for this year alone. It is the worst economic inheritance of any new government since the second world war.

“The unfunded and undisclosed decisions that the last government made are a disgrace.

“After Liz Truss’ budget which saw people’s mortgages soar, the Tories have spent all the reserves for this year and made a series of unfunded commitments that are a risk to our economy and taxpayers.

“I said during the election in a leaflet sent to thousands of households that I would always be honest about the situation facing the public finances and the decisions that need to be taken to protect the economy.

“I was also clear that Labour’s priority would be delivering economic stability.

“We saw the consequences of what happens when government makes unfunded spending commitments – everyone ends up worse off with higher mortgage costs, soaring inflation and family finances sunk. We can’t go back to that.”

Mr McCluskey continued by saying that his party had to make ‘difficult choices’ about how public money should be spent.

He said: “We will protect the poorest pensioners by maintaining winter fuel payment for those on pension credit.

“We will prioritise a pay rise for nurses and teachers, which will provide more funding for the Scottish Government.

“And we will ensure a better deal for working people, by increasing the minimum wage and banning exploitative zero hours contracts.

“People voted for change on July 4. That means calling time on a dishonest politics where government ministers make promises they can’t keep. This Labour government will treat the public and their money with respect.”