WARRINGTON’S MPs Charlotte Nichols and Sarah Hall prompted a wave of anger from local residents last night after voting in favour of controversial Labour plans to scrap the Winter Fuel Payment for pensioners.
The allowance of between £200 to £300 was not means tested and was given to millions of pensioners without an assessment of their income.
Now only those in receipt of benefits including pension credit will receive the help with their heating bills.
Warrington North Labour MP Charlotte Nichols and newly elected Warrington South Labour MP Sarah Hall both voted ‘no’ in the Commons vote on the issue in response to a Conservative amendment to drop the controversial proposals.
However, a number of Labour MPs nationally rebelled and voted ‘yes’ for the Tory amendment. It failed to gain support as 348 MPs voted ‘no’ and 228 voted ‘yes’.
Furthermore, 52 Labour MPs had no vote recorded. This could mean they either missed the vote or abstained.
Abstention was the only option for many Labour MPs if they wanted to rebel.
Warrington Worldwide has contacted both MPs for comment but has yet to receive a response from either Parliamentarian.
Conservative Tatton MP Esther McVey, whose constituency now includes Lymm, voted in favour of the motion. Residents expressed their frustration about the vote on Facebook.
Both MPs faced heavy criticism from constituents as they failed to take a stand against the contentious proposals.
On Charlotte Nichols’ Facebook page, one resident commented below a post about World Suicide Day.
They wrote: “Fancy posting this when you’ve literally sent thousands of pensioners to the death. They are now going to be forced between eating or heating!”
Another added: “Well done Charlotte, your Labour Party have finally put the nail in the coffin for pensioners.”
A third poster added: “Charlotte you owe the Warrington public an explanation for how you voted yesterday.
“The winter fuel allowance cut was NOT in Labour’s manifesto.”
On Facebook, one resident wrote: “My MP Sarah Hall Warrington South voted to take away the winter fuel allowance.”
Yesterday, we voted on a motion from Rishi Sunak to annul the Statutory Instrument on means-testing the winter fuel payment. I spoke to the Today in Focus podcast about the vote, which you can listen to below, and why I voted with the Government 👇https://t.co/ZRL4JtTwhD
— Charlotte Nichols MP (@charlotte2153) September 11, 2024
3 Comments
wonder how many MP’s get their heating subsidised by way of expenses and how much that works out at.
a lot more than £300 a year i will bet.
JUST DONT VOTE FOR THESE PEOPLE AGAIN THEN ! AND KEEP THEM VERY BUSY WITH MANY ISSUES, COMPLAINTS IN THEIR LOCAL AREA !! **SHOCKING & A DISGRACE** !!
This is what you get when you vote people in office who don’t understand times of hardship and juggling with money to pay for utility bills