Joel James MS, Senedd Member for South Wales Central has today led the Welsh Conservatives debate calling on the Welsh Government to act against The Labour Party's cut to the Winter Fuel Allowance.
During his contribution, the Member stated that making older people, some disabled, some suffering from chronic and terminal illnesses, who feel the cold more deeply, afraid to turn on their heating in case they get a bill they cannot afford, neither makes moral nor financial sense.
Trying to understand the reasoning for the cut, the Member stated that the Labour Party claims "there is a £22 Billion pound black hole in public finances, but this has been repeatedly shown to be disingenuous and manufactured by the Labour Party in self-imposing restrictions on UK public spending and back dating inflation busting public sector pay rises, to keep their trade union donors happy."
Importantly, the Member highlighted that "cutting the universal winter fuel scheme, in this way is not only exceptionally short-sighted and callous, but it will risk pushing thousands of pensioners into fuel poverty – over a hundred thousand will be affected in my region alone."
The Member also stated that almost 900,000 people who are entitled to, but are not claiming pension credit, meaning that the UK Labour Government will be taking a vital income away from those who most need it.
Speaking outside the Chamber, Joel said:
The Labour Party’s decision to scrap universal winter fuel payments is not only short-sighted and callous but risks pushing thousands of pensioners into fuel poverty.
They claim that there is a £22 billion pound black hole but this has been repeatedly shown to be disingenuous.
In the Welsh Parliament Chamber today, Welsh Conservatives stood up for our pensioners and called on the Welsh Government to act against this decision and stand up to the UK Labour Government.
To watch Joel's full contribution, please click here.
