Winter Fuel Payments For Pensioners Were Cut To Prevent Economy Crashing, Minister Says

Lucy Powell was quizzed by Trevor Phillips

Winter fuel payments were ended for millions of pensioners to prevent the economy from crashing, a minister has claimed.

Commons leader Lucy Powell suggested there could even have been a run on the pound unless Labour had cut day-to-day government spending.

Her comments come amid a growing backlash to chancellor Rachel Reeves’ decision to end winter fuel payments for all but the very poorest pensioners.

An estimated 10 million...