Many of our 10 million elderly residents can ill afford to lose the winter fuel allowance lifeline introduced by Gordon Brown – leaving Chancellor Rachel Reeves with a tough decision about its future
Rising energy bills will only increase pressure on the new government to rethink axing OAPs ’ winter fuel allowance.
Faced with an average £149 jump to £1,717, many of our 10 million elderly can ill afford to lose this lifeline introduced by Gordon Brown. Current Chancellor Rachel Reeves inherited a financial black hole from the Tories. But now it is time for her to think very carefully indeed.
If she ignores calls from instinctively loyal Labour MPs and presses ahead with scrapping the allowance, the new government risks severe political damage. If she ditches the cut, or relaxes means testing so fewer lose out, any barbs about U-turns will be quickly forgotten. Getting this right is crucial when so much is at stake.
Quiet courage
What a contrast between the dignity of Elsie Dot Stancombe’s grieving family and the thugs who hijacked the killing of three little girls to unleash their own terror. Elsie Dot’s heartbroken parents asked mourners to wear bright clothes.
They wanted the funeral to be known as her Special Day – a celebration of the life of a daughter who brought them only happiness.
They are, as are the families of the other two children cruelly killed in Southport, exceptional human beings.
They deserve our sympathy, our deepest condolences and our respect. And the ignorant and malicious morons who exploited the tragedy to go on the rampage should hang their heads in shame.
Warning to all
Jermaine Jenas was tipped to become one of the BBC’s brightest stars. But his career is now in ruins after he was axed over “suggestive” WhatsApp messages.
Whatever the truth behind the allegations, we can only hope the Beeb’s swift and decisive action will be a warning to all staff that inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated.
