Steve Darling MP blasts Government for taking almost a year to begin listening to concerns about Winter Fuel Payment cuts

Torbay’s Liberal Democrat MP, Steve Darling has slammed the Government for taking almost a year to start to listen to people’s concerns about the slashing over Winter Fuel Payments.

The Chancellor has said that she will listen to the concerns over the Government’s decision saying that “I do understand the concerns that people have” and that she would “continue to listen to understand the concerns that people have raised”.

Steve said:

“More than 21,000 pensioners are likely to be impacted by these cuts in Torbay.

“Since the announcement, I have consistently held the government accountable—challenging them at every turn. I have supported motions opposing these cuts, raised the issue in Parliament, and directly confronted the government minister responsible.

“If the Chancellor had bothered to come to Torbay and hear the concerns of frankly terrified pensioners, worried about staying warm or going hungry, she would have realised what a disastrous decision this was.

“The Government should feel embarrassed that it has taken almost a year and an awful set of local elections to finally start to get the message which I have repeated to them time and again in Westminster. This policy was doomed to fail and some of the most vulnerable are bearing the brunt of these cuts.

“We will have to wait to see if the Government has truly listened and brings forward a genuine plan to change course but after this utter shambles I do not have much hope. My Liberal Democrat colleagues and I will hold the Chancellor’s feet to the fire and make sure that pensioners here in Torbay get the fair deal they deserve.”