Reeves must resign over second wave of austerity
Reacting to Keir Starmer’s U-turn on the disastrous Winter Fuel Payment cut, Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman has called on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to resign.
The UK Labour Government’s cut to the winter fuel payment hit nearly 900,000 pensioners across Scotland at a time of high energy bills and inflation.
As part of the Scottish Budget 25/26, the Scottish Greens agreed with the Scottish Government to reinstate the winter fuel payment for Scottish pensioners. Continued cuts from the Labour Westminster government limit funding available to Holyrood to take further action.
Scottish Greens MSP, Maggie Chapman said:
“Starmer’s U-turn on the Winter Fuel Payment doesn’t go far enough. This cut should never have been made in the first place and it has already caused irreparable damage to vulnerable families across the country.
“Labour’s backtracking is far too little, too late for many. Pensioners shouldn’t have had to wait for Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves to find their principles down the back of the couch. Older people who came through the cold of last winter without that vital support will not be looking forward to another freezing Scottish winter.
“Labour austerity has the same damaging effects as Tory austerity, and just compounds over a decade of brutal cuts. This heartless decision, and the other economic policies coming out of 11 Downing Street have been a disaster for people across the UK. Keir Starmer clearly knows this. It’s time for Rachel Reeves to be shown the door for this second wave of austerity.
“If Keir Starmer wants to make life better for people throughout this cost-of-living crisis, he needs to undo the cuts across the board and abandon further plans for austerity measures. Rachel Reeves has championed these brutal right-wing economic policies. She can’t continue in office if she doesn’t even have the support of the Prime Minister, let alone the public.
“The Scottish Greens secured a reinstatement of the Winter Fuel Payment in Scotland as part of our budget deal, but to provide full clarity to the Scottish public, Keir Starmer must now provide pensioners with the support they urgently need, not just vague promises of a U-turn.”