Starmer forced to deny ‘punishment beating’ of pensioners for backing Brexit and Tory Party

Sir Keir Starmer has denied that his Government is dishing out “a punishment beating” to pensioners, as the backlash to Labour’s decision to withdraw the Winter Fuel Allowance from 10 million senior citizens continues.

The Prime Minister also refused to give reassurances to pensioners worried that the Single Occupancy Council Tax discount might also face the chop in the upcoming budget on October 30.

On the plane to Washington DC, where the Prime Minister is meeting with outgoing US President Joe Biden, political reporters pressed Starmer over pensioners’ worries.

Asked by GB News if he was imposing a punishment beating for pensioners because they tend not to vote Labour and many voted for Brexit, Starmer replied: “No, absolutely not.”

However, on the matter of council tax he was far less clear.

GB News pointed out to the Prime Minister that many pensioners live on their own, often having been widowed, and that in many cases the Single Occupancy Council Tax discount is worth much more than the Winter Fuel Payment.

Asked if he could reassure them, the Labour leader said: “I’m not going to say before the Budget what we’re going to do.

“That does not mean that I’m ruling in anything that you might be putting to me, it simply means like every Prime Minister we’re not going to reveal what’s in the Budget before we get to it.”

When it was put to him that Chancellor Rachel Reeves had ruled out other potential cash-saving options such as scrapping free bus passes, TV licences and prescriptions, he said: “We’ve got to look at everything in the round.”

Starmer is in Washington for talks with the US President on Ukraine and the Middle East.

The pair are also expected to discuss strengthening co-operation to secure supply chains, increasing climate resilience and advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific.

It is the second time he has visited the US capital having also held a White House bilateral with Biden when he attended a Nato summit just days after Labour won the election.