Badenoch claims winter fuel payments U-turn will be ‘scant comfort to pensioners’ – UK politics live

<p>Conservative party leader calls for apology from Keir Starmer as Lib Dems also try to take credit for reversal of policy</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jun/09/winter-fuel-payments-threshold-to-rise-to-35000-rachel-reeves-announces">Winter fuel payments threshold to rise to £35,000</a></p></li></ul><p>The Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats are both trying to take credit for the winter fuel payments U-turn by the government.</p><p>This is from <strong>Kemi Badenoch</strong>, the Tory leader.</p><p>Keir Starmer has scrambled to clear up a mess of his own making. I repeatedly challenged him to reverse his callous decision to withdraw winter fuel payments, and every time Starmer arrogantly dismissed my criticisms.</p><p>This humiliating U-turn will come as scant comfort to the pensioners forced to choose between heating and eating last winter. The prime minister should now apologise for his terrible judgement.</p><p>Finally the chancellor has listened to the Liberal Democrats and the tireless campaigners in realising how disastrous this policy was, but the misery it has caused cannot be overstated.</p><p>Countless pensioners were forced to choose between heating and eating all whilst the government buried its head in the sand for months on end, ignoring those who were really suffering.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2025/jun/09/labour-spending-review-end-austerity-home-office-conservatives-keir-starmer-uk-politics-live-news">Continue reading...</a>