Many Labour MPs have demanded that Labour fully reverse winter fuel payment cuts, not just soften them, to win back voters.
However, it seems that isn’t the case, as Peter Stefanovic wrote: “BREAKING: Downing Street has told @GMB it has no plans to reverse cuts to the Winter Fuel Payment for millions of pensioners, after reports this morning that ministers are rethinking the controversial policy.”
International students
Now, Ministers will crack down on international students applying for asylum in the UK in a move designed to tackle migration figures, after a series of bruising losses to Reform in the local elections.
Data published in March by the Home Office showed that 16,000 of the 108,000 people who claimed asylum in the UK in 2024 held a student visa.
It comes after Labour suffered a string of humiliating defeats to Reform UK in the local elections this week, including a by-election.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has hailed the results as “the end of two-party politics” and “the death of the Conservative Party” as Reform picked up ten councils and more than 600 seats.
Some Labour MPs have urged Labour to take a tougher stance on migration to claw back Reform voters.
Jo White, MP for Bassetlaw in the north of England, said the government need to stop “pussyfooting around” and “take a leaf out of President Trump’s book”.
MPs backlash
Ayesha Hazarika, who worked as a Labour aide for Harriet Harman and Ed Miliband posted this on social media.
“Very much hope this is true. The timing of this winter fuel policy, the way it was announced & the way it was designed has caused so much anger & political damage the length & breadth of the country. If the govt wanted to show it was listening, this would be a good start.”
This is from John McDonnell, the former shadow chancellor who is suspended from the parliamentary Labour party for voting with the SNP and against the government last year in favour of abolishing the two-child benefit cap.
“If Labour decision makers think “reviewing” Winter Fuel Allowance will save them, they’re not living in same world as rest of us. Only scrapping of WFA cut & dropping completely plans to cut benefits to disabled will show that as PM claimed, “he gets it.”
This is from Apsana Begum, who is also suspended from the PLP.
“Standing up for communities put most at risk by 14 years of austerity — the elderly and disabled — should be the priority.
“Reviewing the Winter Fuel Allowance cut will not deliver the change promised.
“It must be reversed, along with dropping plans to cuts benefits.”
This is from Zarah Sultana.
“The Labour government was wrong to cut winter fuel payments from millions of pensioners last September — and it’s still wrong now.
“I voted against it then. It must be fully reversed now.
“This isn’t difficult.
And this is from Rosie Duffield.
‘In response to local elections’….
(And not because it was morally wrong to cut the Winter Fuel Allowance in the first place).
Related: Farage’s war on WFH hits a snag and his hypocrisy is called out
