The purpose of Keir Starmer’s project in the Labour Party is seemingly to pit different groups in society against each other to distract us all from the ongoing class war that the super-rich class is very clearly winning. But fortunately, there are still some figures in the party, like NEC member Jess Barnard, who know exactly where people’s focus should lie. This was no more apparent than in a debate about the winter fuel payments cut at the Labour conference.
Winter fuel payments cut at Labour conference
The Labour Party’s cut to winter fuel payments has already caused chaos. As the Canary has been documenting, Charity Age UK calculated that Labour’s move will impact 800,000 older people on very low incomes. Specifically, this is those living on less than £218.25 a week as single pensioners, or £332.95 as couples.
And despite the government’s drive to increase uptake in Pension Credit – the benefit that automatically entitles pensioners to the winter fuel payments – the majority will still miss out this winter.
According to a new equality analysis done by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) back in July, disabled people will be hit especially hard by the cut.
It also found:
83% (2.7m) of those aged 80+ currently receiving winter fuel payments will lose out, compared to 90% (7.3m) of those aged 66 to 79.
Additionally, Age UK estimate that around a million more pensioners less than £50 above the so-called poverty line will be “hit hard”. Meanwhile, in 2017 Labour itself did an impact assessment. This found around 4,000 older people could die as a result of means testing the winter fuel payment.
What about the billionaires?
At the Labour conference, Barnard was on the BBC insisting that “the answer to austerity is not more austerity”. But Labour Friends of Israel vice chair Peter Kyle responded by trying to focus blame on pensioners, stressing:
There is only one demographic in society that for the last 15 years has had year-on-year increases in their income – and it is in the pensioners group.
Barnard was quick to challenge this singling out of pensioners, though, saying:
Billionaires in this country, in the last 10 years, have increased their wealth by £400bn. Would you say that pensioners are the people that have increased their wealth the most in this country?
.@JessicaLBarnard: "It comes down to a question of who should carry this burden"
Peter Kyle: only one group in society has seen their income rise every yr for the last 15yrs – pensioners
Jess "In the last 10yrs billionaires in this country have increased their wealth by £400bn" pic.twitter.com/IntlZ2PHXI
— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) September 23, 2024
Between 1990 and 2022, UK billionaires saw their wealth surge by £600bn.
And if you look at the consistent increase in the wealth of the super-rich in recent years, you’ll see very clearly that it’s not pensioners that the government needs to be focusing on:
In the last year while most of us have struggled with low wages and rising prices, the wealth of UK billionaires has grown to record highs. The richest few keep taking too much, it's to rebalance the economy and #ShareTheWealth. pic.twitter.com/fuoPpSYbaH
— NEF (@NEF) May 28, 2023
👀This year's Sunday Times rich list saw the combined wealth of UK billionaires hit a record high.
While most of us struggle to keep up with rising prices, the richest few are cleaning up at our expense. #ShareTheWealth pic.twitter.com/5ZLVynhPzo
— NEF (@NEF) May 22, 2023
Featured image via Saul Staniforth – screengrab
