After months of pressure from my Conservative colleagues, Labour has finally been forced into a humiliating U-turn to restore Winter Fuel Payments.
One of the first things I did when I was elected was write directly to the Chancellor to warn about the devastating impact this cut would have on pensioners in South West Devon. I have consistently spoken out in Parliament and challenged ministers directly, yet the Government repeatedly ignored us. The Prime Minister dismissed our warnings, even as pensioners here faced a real crisis: choosing between heating and eating.
Now, facing public outrage and electoral backlash, the Chancellor has begrudgingly reinstated these vital payments.
This isn’t leadership - it’s damage control 
Watch this space for updates on how this will work in practice and what it means for pensioners here in South West Devon.
