UK politics live: Starmer announces winter fuel payments U-turn at PMQs – UK Times

Kemi Badenoch has finally managed to hit a real pain point for Sir Keir Starmer at PMQs, pressing him on whether or not he will U-turn on winter fuel payments.

Just minutes earlier, the PM indicated he would row back on the policy – saying he wants to ensure more pensioners are eligible for winter fuel payments.

But instead of accepting him at his word, the leader of the opposition is now pushing him on the issue, urging him to say – yes or no – whether he will do a full U-turn. Even though Sir Keir already appears to have made the admission, Badenoch’s approach is a sensible one.

“How can any of them ever trust him again”, she asked, playing into growing fears that the PM lacks principles.

Getting the prime minister to admit to a U-turn would be a victory for the Tories, allowing Badenoch to take credit for Labour’s shifting position and highlight what many voters and Labour MPs are already concerned about – that the PM lacks conviction and, in the Tory leader’s words “can’t give a straight answer to a simple question”.

Sir Keir Starmer is painting the winter fuel payment u-turn as possible due to an economic turnaround spurred by Labour’s growth drive and trade deals with the US, India and EU.

The prime minister said he wants to make sure “people feel the benefit of the measures we are taking”.

“That is why I want to ensure more pensioners are eligible,” he added.

He said: “It is important that, as you would expect, that we are clear we can afford the decisions we are making. And that’s why it will now be looked at at a fiscal event.”

It means the u-turn could come on 11 June at the chancellor’s spending review.

Kemi Badenoch has pounced on Wednesday’s jump in inflation, arguing the Conservatives left it “bang on target” at 2 per cent.

Echoed by shadow chancellor Mel Stride, the Tory leader said that despite reacting to the war in Ukraine, “inflation was brought down by us”.

She said: “While he is doing trade deals with countries like the US and India, their inflation is going down, it’s going up here, why?”

Sir Keir Starmer hit back by reminding MPs of the “disastrous Liz Truss mini budget, inflation through the roof and a £22 billion black hole in the public finances”.

The beleaguered Tory leader has been much criticised for consistently missing the issues of the week in her six questions each week at PMQs.

But today, Kemi Badenoch has gone for the throat on the right topic. On a day when inflation has risen and amid revelations that Angela Rayner wants eight new tax rises, Ms Badenoch has plenty to shoot at.

Keir Starmer’s claim she “is talking the country down” rings a bit hollow.

For the leader of a party in fourth place in a recent poll, this is a rare good day for Ms Badenoch.

Sir Keir Starmer has answered both questions so far at PMQs by blaming the previous government – almost one year into his time in office.

Asked about illegal migration, the prime minister said it was the “last government that lost control”. Asked about inflation – which rose to 3.5 per cent this morning – he said the economy was “left in an absolute mess by the Tories”.

Labour has spent a majority of its time in office pointing to the Tories record, but one look at their current approval ratings shows that this approach isn’t landing with voters. It’s especially tricky on a topic like inflation, allowing the Tories – as Kemi Badenoch did in her first PMQs question – to point out that inflation had fallen to 2 per cent by the time they left office.

In a major announcement slipped out at the top of PMQs, Sir Keir Starmer vowed changes to his controversial winter fuel cuts.

After weeks of pressure, and a disastrous set of local election results, the prime minister promised to “ensure that, as we go forward, more pensioners are eligible for winter fuel payments”.

Labour’s cuts, announced in July, left only those claiming pension credit eligible for cuts.

But, in a significant climbdown, it appears Labour is set to extend the eligibility for the payments, worth up to £300 for pensioners.

He said: “I recognise that people are still feeling the pressure of the cost of living crisis, including pensioners, as the economy improves.

“We want to make sure people feel those improvements… and that is why we want to ensure that as we go forward, more pensioners are eligible for winter fuel payments.”

The prime minister will have more difficult opening questions than the one by Tory MP Lewis Cocking.

The recently elected MP, one of the few to survive the Tory wipeout last year, asked Sir Keir Starmer when he will completely end illegal immigration.

It was a bit of a hostage to fortune given the infamous failure of multiple Tory prime ministers in a short space of time to “stop the boats”.

Not even threatening to send people to Rwanda had any effect.

Not surprisingly the prime minister reminded the House of all these failures as the glum Tory MPs looked on.

The first question for Sir Keir Starmer, from Tory MP Lewis Cocking, was about whether he is going to stop “all illegal immigration into the UK”.

The prime minister was able to bat it off, accusing the Conservatives of having lost control of the borders in the first place.

He said: “We’re bringing forward legislation to give law enforcement the greatest possible powers. What are they doing? They’re voting against it.”

Sir Keir Starmer has begun PMQs by paying tribute to the firefighters killed in the Bicester fire last Thursday.

Jennie Logan, 30, of Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service, died in the major incident at Bicester Motion on Thursday alongside fellow firefighter Martyn Sadler, 38, and member of the public David Chester, 57.

Opening PMQs, the prime minister said: “My deepest condolences, and I’m sure those of the whole house are with the families and friends of Jenny, Martin and David tragically killed in the fire in Bicester last week.”

Prime Minister’s Questions is now underway.

Kemi Badenoch is expected to question Sir Keir on his Brexit reset trade deal, announced on Monday.

She may also quiz Sir Keir on the reports that Angela Rayner sent a memo to Rachel Reeves suggesting an increase in taxes for savers.