Unite to push for winter fuel payments vote at Labour conference
Unite, one of Labour’s trade union backers, will try to force a vote on reversing the government’s cuts to the winter fuel allowance at the party’s conference in Liverpool.
The union has submitted a motion calling for “a vision where pensioners are not the first to face a new wave of cuts”.
It also urges the government to introduce a wealth tax and to end self-imposed rules which prevent borrowing to invest.
Despite criticism from opposition parties and unease among his own MPs, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has defended his cut in winter fuel payments, saying “tough decisions” are needed “to stabilise the economy”.
He has also said that the impact on the 10 million pensioners losing out will be softened by a 4% increase in the state pension, due next April.
From this autumn, older people in England and Wales not on pension credit or other means-tested benefits will not get the payments, worth between £100 – £300.
Unite’s motion says that “workers and communities voted for change – a better future, not just better management and not cuts to the winter fuel allowance”.
It adds that the country should not “turn back to failed austerity”.
Mick Whelan, head of the train drivers’ Aslef union and chair of the group of Labour-backing unions said he would vote against the cut.
Speaking to Political Thinking with Nick Robinson, he said the unions would be asking the government to “change their minds”.
Asked about the relationship between unions and the government, he said: “There’ll be times when we’ll be applauding… and there’ll be other times where, as tradition, we’ll be firm but critical friends.”
Unite is understood to be confident that its motion will be put to a vote at Labour’s annual conference, which opens in Liverpool on Sunday 22 September.
Under conference rules, delegates get to vote for the topics they want to discuss. Members of the Conference Arrangements Committee, delegates and party staff then agree the wording of a final motion to be voted on.
Any vote would be non-binding, but a result that criticises government policy could embarrass the party leadership.
Unite traditionally backs Labour, but has been very critical of Sir Keir’s leadership and last year its general secretary, Sharon Graham, warned the party there were “no blank cheques”.
In 2019, when Jeremy Corbyn was leader, the union donated £3m to Labour. This year it did not give anything to the central party’s campaign.
The union also refused to endorse the party’s election manifesto, saying it did not go far enough on protecting workers’ rights, and jobs in the oil and gas industry.
Labour’s annual conference will be its first since the party’s landslide victory in July’s general election.
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