Winter fuel payments should 'now be restored to majority of pensioners'
Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan, who had previously urged the government to rethink the cuts to millions of pensioners, said the 'majority' should have payments restored
Keir Starmer should now provide winter fuel payments to the "majority" of pensioners after a major U-turn, Labour's Welsh First Minister has said.
Eluned Morgan, who had previously urged the government to rethink the cuts to millions of retirees, welcomed the PM's surprise reversal on Wednesday. The PM said with the economy showing signs of improvement he wanted to ensure "more pensioners are eligible for winter fuel payments".
But pensioners could be forced to wait many months before finding out if they are once again eligible for the £300 payment as No10 hammers out the details. Speaking to the BBC, Ms Morgan said millionaires shouldn't be getting the payment. She said: "I'm not sure if millionaires should be getting a winter fuel allowance. So let's just make sure that they don't get it."
But Ms Morgan added: "People below that, that's where the conversation got to be. I do want the majority of pensioners - I think they made a massive contribution to the country."
The Welsh First Minister also praised the government for changing course. She said: "I really welcome the fact that UK Labour has listened. Also I've had the chance to speak directly to the Prime Minister just to say 'this needs to be changed' and really, really welcome the fact that listening has led to change."
It came as a poll on Friday showed 44% said the benefit should still be means tested but offered to more pensioners than it was currently. The survey by YouGov also showed 33% backed reverting to the previous system where it was universal while 7% wanted the policy kept as it was now.
Speaking to the BBC's Political Thinking podcast, Ms Morgan also said she would "stick" to the left of the UK Labour Party ahead of next year's Senedd elections.
She said: "We do have a threat from the right and the left. What I'm saying is I'm going to be true to my values and my values are not that I'm going to tack to the right to take on Reform, but I'm going to stay exactly where I should be. I'm going to stick to the red Welsh way which is more to the left than perhaps the centre of gravity in the UK Labour at the moment."
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