Labour

Andrew Gwynne, Labour’s National Elections Coordinator, responding to Ruth Davidson’s criticism of Tory plans to remove the Winter Fuel Allowance from some pensioners, said:

“When the Scottish Tory Leader comes out against her own Party’s attack on pensioner incomes I think it’s fair to say the policy is starting to unravel.

“The Tory attack on pensioners’ Winter Fuel Allowance is unfair and outrageous, and lays bare the threat they pose to pensioners’ security and living standards.

“The Tories should admit they’ve got it wrong, apologise and drop it immediately.”

Ends

Notes to editors

“We’ve made a different choice in Scotland in our Scottish manifesto today. We believe there shouldn’t be means testing for the winter fuel payment.”
Ruth Davidson, Leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Sky News, 19 May 2017

Labour has today demanded that the Tories immediately abandon plans to remove the Winter Fuel Allowances from pensioners.

Speaking at a press conference this morning, John McDonnell, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, said: “This is a savage attack on vulnerable pensioners, particularly those who are just about managing. We will not stand by and allow so many of them to be back in a situation where they have to choose whether they heat or eat.”

This comes as Labour today warns that the Tory manifesto represents a threat to living standards and increased insecurity for pensioners and working people. 

Commenting on the “extraordinary” lack of any mention of living standards in the Tories’ manifesto, McDonnell said: “Living standards are falling under the Tories, yet Theresa May couldn’t promise that she would seek to address this. There is a clear and unambiguous threat to living standards; an attack on pensioners and on working people.”

Rebecca Long-Bailey, Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary, outlined the threat the Tories pose to pensioners, including:

·         The Tories’ new ‘Double Lock’, which would have left pensioners at least £330 worse off had it been in place in recent years.

·         How five in every six pensioners are set to lose Winter Fuel payments, worth up to £300.

·         That 34 million people face the prospect of working longer if Theresa May raises the State Pension age.

And it is a similar tale for working people:

·         Since 2010, the average household is paying more in both direct and indirect taxation: nearly £2,000, with the threat of further tax rises

·         Under the Tories the UK is set to experience the worst decade for real household disposable incomes since 1949.

Alongside the press conference, Labour has published a new document titled: ‘The Tory Threat To Living Standards’. This analysis reveals the scope of the Tory attack on living standards, setting out how working people and pensioners will pay the price of the Tories’ betrayal.

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John McDonnell, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, speaking at a press conference outlining the Tory threat to working people, said:

On the Tory manifesto:

“This was a manifesto that offers working people and pensioners’ insecurity with a huge question mark over their living standards.

“Gone was the commitment to raise working people’s living standards. Gone was the commitment not to raise taxes on working people. And gone was the commitment to protect pensioners’ incomes through the triple lock. 

“This signals a clear threat to working people and to pensioners. So that’s the choice at this election; a threat to working people’s and pensioners’ living standards if the Tories are re-elected on the 8th of June, or a Labour plan to support working people.  A Labour plan that will introduce a Real Living Wage of £10 an hour by 2020.  A Labour plan that will commit to no income tax, VAT or NICs rises for 95 per cent of tax payers. And a Labour plan that will invest in our vital public services.

“That’s the choice at this election. A clear threat to working people’s living standards or a Labour Party that will stand up for the many, and not the few.

On wages:

“We are currently witnessing the worst decade for pay in 200 years.

“Real wages are still lower today than they were when the Tories came to power in 2010.

“According to the OECD, the UK is the only advanced major economy where growth has returned since the crash but wages have fallen. 

“And it is unlikely to stop there. Experts have warned that with the cost of living increasing, household incomes are set to be squeezed even further.”

On taxation:

“Under the Tories working families are paying more in tax and there are further tax rises in the pipeline.

“Since 2010, the average household is paying more in both direct and indirect taxation- a total of nearly £2,000.

“Labour is promising no increase in taxation on low and middle income earners. The Tories in contrast have form on tax rises.

“They have increased taxes on working people before and they will do it again.”

Rebecca Long-Bailey, Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary, said:

On pensioners:

“The Tories have launched an all-out attack on pensioner incomes, by abandoning the Triple Lock, cutting Winter Fuel Payments, raising the State Pension age, and breaking promises on social care and GP access.

“They’ve laid bare the threat they pose to pensioners’ security and living standards. They have shown beyond doubt they’re turning their backs on older people and to future generations of pensioners.

“Theresa May’s message to millions of workers is now this: work for years longer only to receive far less generous support in old age.

Notes to editors:

• Link to ‘The Tory threat to living standards’ document: http://www.labour.org.uk/page/-/party-documents/9684_17%20Tory%20threat%20to%20Living%20Standards.pdf
  

The Conservative Party manifesto launched an all-out attack on pensioner incomes, with three major new burdens placed on older people:

1. Scrapping the ‘triple lock’ on state pensions so that pensioner incomes are no longer protected from a Tory hard Brexit.   
   
2. Means testing Winter Fuel Payments to remove support to heat the homes of 10 million pensioners   
   
3. Forcing those who need social care to pay for it using their homes
   

Labour will stand up for older people by maintaining the triple-lock on state pensions, protect winter fuel payments and free bus passes and spend an additional £8 billion over the Parliament on addressing the Tories’ social care crisis, while also laying the foundations for a new National Care Service.

Commenting on the pensioner penalties being promised by the Conservatives, Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the Labour Party, said:

“Theresa May’s nasty party has launched a shameful attack on older people – introducing a compassion tax to force those in need of social care to pay for it with their family home. Labour is standing up for pensioners and guaranteeing the triple-lock on state pensions, as well as giving social care the funding it needs.

“It is clear the Conservatives are offering more of the same, tax giveaways for their billionaire friends and nothing for ordinary people. Labour is standing up for the many, not the few.”

Debbie Abrahams, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary said:

“The Conservative Party is completely abandoning older people by scrapping the pensions ‘triple lock’, removing the Winter Fuel Allowance from 10 million pensioners, making 34 million people work longer and forcing those who need care to pay for pay for it with their family home.

“This is the direct result of seven years of Tory economic failure. Labour completely oppose this shocking attack on a whole generation.
 
“We will deliver a secure and dignified retirement for the many, not just the few wealthy enough to manage under these Tory attacks.”

Ends

Notes to editors
According to the Resolution Foundation, the Conservative manifesto commitment to means test the Winter Fuel Payment will remove entitlement from 10 million pensioners: http://www.resolutionfoundation.org/media/blog/death-taxes-the-conservative-manifesto-and-the-changing-politics-of-intergenerational-fairness/

Now the Tories have published their manifesto in full we can see how a party that has added £700 billion to the national debt since 2010 really approaches the public finances.

Today they have produced an 84 page document in which they made 60 spending commitments but provide costings for only one, just a day after Philip Hammond revealed he had no idea how much High Speed 2 will cost.

This contrasts with Labour’s fully-costed manifesto, published on Tuesday that identified funding covering all spending commitments.

Commenting, John McDonnell, the Shadow Chancellor, said:

“The Tories’ numbers don’t add up. They have published an 84 page blank cheque that provides a tax giveaway guarantee for big business, while offering a roll of the dice for working families with no commitments to rule out rises in income tax and National Insurance.

“Now we can see why Theresa May is running scared of debating Jeremy Corbyn, when she publishes a document like this that contains more questions than answers. It also further shows how her party has managed to add £700 billion to the national debt since 2010, as they won’t be straight with the British people on how much their plans for a wealthy few truly cost.

“One of the few revenue raisers they identified was withdrawing free school meals from children and withdrawing support for pensioners struggling to heat their homes – this just sums up the Tory approach.

“This is the equivalent of the Prime Minister going to the shops with the nation’s cheque book and not checking the price of the goods as she puts them in the trolley.

“All we know if the Tories are returned next month is that if you’re a pensioner you face the penalty of losing your winter fuel payments, control of your home, and the value of your pension.

“Today has revealed that only the Labour Party at this election will stand up for pensioners, and the 95 percent of taxpayers to build an economy for the many not the few.”

Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the Labour Party, responding to the launch of the Conservative manifesto, said:

“Millions of pensioners are betrayed by Theresa May’s manifesto. She is hitting older people with a classic Nasty Party triple whammy:  Scrapping the triple lock on pensions, removing the Winter Fuel Allowance and forcing those who need social care to pay for it with their homes.

“The Conservatives’ record is one of broken promises and failure. They promised to raise living standards, but working families are set to be on average over £1,400 a year worse off. They promised to improve all standards of NHS care, but A&Es are in crisis. They promised to protect school spending, but schools are facing crippling cuts and class sizes are soaring. You can’t trust a word Theresa May says.

“Despite Theresa May’s warm words, she leads a party that has created a rigged economy that only works for the super-rich. The Conservatives have not changed. While the Labour Party has promised to protect low and middle earners from any tax rises, all Theresa May has promised is a cut to Corporation Tax for their big business friends. Unlike the Conservatives, Labour is standing up for the many, not the few.”