Onslaught

ladyluck

how does everyone feel about the onslaught on pensioners by the Labour Party. I’ve just watched Angela Rayner defending the right to a warm home, but changed her tune when she got in power. Looks like the single council tax allowance will go too. Maybe the railcard and bus pass are next. Or the paid prescription service. Very upsetting news for many. Especially those that paid in for 50 years and are £3 over the threshold. Very worried for the coming winter. I thought Labour looked after the working man and woman, also the pensioners who are ill.

Cantilip

It's still speculation. Whenever something bad comes onto the horizon I find it's good to think yes, but it's not here yet and may never reach me. Right now, nothing has changed - except the WFA.

All sensible positive thinking aside, I do not think these folks are my friends. There's a proverb, 'self-justification is worse than the original offence' and it disgusts me both the crocodile tears, the 'this hurts us more than it hurts you' line, the claim it was such a tough decision, and that they tried to make a heroic stand over it, claim how necessary it was, when it's blatantly obvious how many people in the country could afford to lose £300 and not notice it.

ladyluck

I agree. Only this morning Rachel Reeves is gloating that pensioners will get £400 next year, that’s £30 per month. My increases in house insurance, food bills, heating and just about everything else have risen far more than that. I fear many will be reeling at losing their heating allowances. Then there’s all the disabled people who aren’t getting a choice. If the Labour Party can do this in 8 weeks of being in power, it doesn’t bode well. Just picking on the vulnerable is a disgrace in itself. And none of this was in their manifesto.

Albus_Scope

It'll be £400 extra each year @ladyluck, it's due to the triple lock that Labour have honoured.

Labour have only just gained power and have been on summer recess, so nothing much will have happened yet. We have no idea what the budget will bring, for all we know they may lower the amount needed to claim pension credits. I'd say it's far too early to judge. But I'm keeping my fingers crossed for positive news.

Cantilip

Oh golly gumdrops, £7.69 a week, to stay in the same place if not fall behind. Except it's less because taxable, which Ms Reeves I think omitted to mention.

It's what has happened. "It's a fair cop, guv. We got the threshold wrong. How do we put it right?" Nobody would have minded. Culminating in the frankly absurd Lucy Powell, making Labour a joke (she who claimed the pound would have crashed if the WFA hadn't been removed). Yes it was absolutely necessary Mrs X of Oldham, gross income £15000, lose her WFA to save the economy.

ladyluck

But the pound won’t crash at the extortionate being paid to union paymasters, whilst those on £11,570 who’ve paid in all their lives, have the allowance taken away……yes, that makes sense.

Cantilip

Well of course

Excerpt from Prime Minister's Questions today as reported live in the Guardian:

Rebecca Paul (Con) says she is a new MP, but all MPs want pensioners to live with dignity. Will the PM consider broadening the eligibility for the winter fuel payment, so more low-income pensioners can get it?

Starmer says this decision has been taken because of the £22bn black hole in the economy. The Tories “broke the economy”, he says. He says Labour was elected to clear up the mess.

Not even trying to answer the question, a totally inadequate response.

Albus_Scope

That's a very normal politicians response unfortunately.

I'll still just keep everything crossed for some good news for eligibility in October. 🤞

Cantilip

Indeed! I just wonder if there's some parliamentary rule that stops the questioner saying, "Thank you, Prime Minister. I wonder if you might be so good as to actually answer the question."

Dianaf

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/122152/onslaught

I think this labour government are going to make the tories look like kittens. They lied to win votes and now their true colours are out.

Cantilip

I rather agree* but there is a difference between the Tory Cabinet and its backbenchers and this lot and their backbenchers, some of whom are already rebelling, who might themselves say they were lied to, who were elected by people who thought Labour supported the poor, hungry, disabled, old and who actually live in their constituencies and are reachable by those people.

*Though I'm struggling with Stride and Coffey as kittens.