Petition calling on government to restore Winter Fuel Payments to pensioners has been handed over to Banbury Labour Party

Handing over the petition are Cllr Kieron Mallon, Oliver Perera, Adam Nell, Cllr Eddie Reeves, Cllr David Rogers and Cllr Ian Harwood.Handing over the petition are Cllr Kieron Mallon, Oliver Perera, Adam Nell, Cllr Eddie Reeves, Cllr David Rogers and Cllr Ian Harwood.
Handing over the petition are Cllr Kieron Mallon, Oliver Perera, Adam Nell, Cllr Eddie Reeves, Cllr David Rogers and Cllr Ian Harwood.
Details of a petition signed by hundreds of thousands of people nationwide has been presented to the Labour Party in Banbury, calling on the government to restore Winter Fuel Payments to pensioners.

According to local Conservatives, an estimated 17,638 pensioners in Banbury will lose up to £300 in Winter Fuel Payment after Labour voted to scrap the scheme last month.

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Now, more than 240,000 people across the country have signed a Conservative Party petition calling for the Labour government to restore pensioners’ Winter Fuel Payments.

A letter containing instructions on how to access the petition was delivered to the Labour Group at Bodicote House by Conservative Group Leader on Cherwell District Council and Oxfordshire County Council, Cllr Eddie Reeves, and colleagues on October 29 ahead of Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves MP’s Budget today (October 30).

Commenting on the petition, Cllr Reeves said: “Local Conservatives are calling on Labour in Banbury – and across Oxfordshire – to protect the incomes of pensioners in the greatest need. In the absence of a government u-turn, we are calling for a grown-up, cross-party approach from district and county councillors to help those in the most acute need by way of targeted support through the Council Tax and local benefits system to help them through the winter.

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“A majority of Cherwell District Councillors have made it clear that they are against Labour’s plan to take money away from pensioners on low incomes. Sadly, Oxfordshire County Councillors were denied the opportunity of a vote on this important subject at our meeting on September 10. I have, however, tabled another motion in the sincere hope that we can have this debate locally at our next Full Council meeting on November 5.” 

Sean Woodcock MP said that the move “was a tough choice but a necessary one”, adding: “The previous government made commitment after commitment without knowing where the money was going to come from, and without action the scale of the inheritance they have left us would have threatened our economic stability.

“Under the last government, after 14 years in office one third of those eligible for Pension Credit were not getting it. I am proud to have a Labour government that is looking after the poorest pensioners by increasing take up of Pension Credit by more than 150 per cent since taking office ensuring that they are better off. Those pensioners will also continue to get the Winter Fuel Allowance.

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“This we are doing while also increasing the state pension by £900 this year and £450 next via the Triple Lock which will benefit all pensioners.

“I will continue to work to advise and encourage all those eligible to apply for Pension Credit. Rather than cheap political point-scoring, it might be more useful for Councillor Reeves to consider putting his energy into doing the same.”

He said that a formal reply to Councillor Reeves’ letter will be posted in due course, adding: “Today, I am looking forward to hearing a budget delivered by the first female Chancellor of the Exchequer in history. It is a budget that will focus on investing in rebuilding Britain for a better life for my constituents.”

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