Daily Express – Yes! It’ll be painful for Britain’s elderly
Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to axe winter fuel payments for some “has the potential to create a health emergency”, according to the Daily Express.
The paper focuses on the planned scrapping of winter fuel payments for roughly 10 million pensioners – a key topic for Express readers. The paper carries an interview with Simon Francis, co-ordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, who says getting rid of the payment could create a public health emergency and ultimately put the NHS under even more pressure – something Sir Keir has vowed to address.
Labour grandee urges Rachel Reeves to delay winter fuel payment axe for pensioners
Labour grandee Lord Foulkes has urged Chancellor Rachel Reeves to delay the winter fuel payment axe.
The peer, who is co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Ageing and Older People, warned many pensioners will “face a difficult choice between heating and eating this winter” if the controversial move goes ahead.
He insisted that pushing back the change to restrict the payments to those in receipt of pension credit would show that the new Government “really listens”.
Lord Foulkes said: “I believe postponing the cut altogether would be the wisest and most compassionate option: with a year, or more, of warning, pensioners would have time to both save and prepare for losing this vital payment, and Government would be able to address the longstanding issues with pension credit eligibility and uptake.
“The updated energy price cap will be enough of a burden to contend with, as families up and down the country are set to face an average increase of 10% to their bills.
“Labour should see this as an opportunity to model our new Government of change.
“After years of out-of-touch elitism, we can demonstrate that this Government really listens, and has enough faith in its vision and mission to course-correct when needed.”
Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
If you are someone who reads every perspective of a story, here is a news summary of all of today’s front pages from today’s newspapers; summarised in a 2-minute read
Editorial 28 August 2024.
Almost all of Wednesday’s front pages cover Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s speech in the rose garden at Downing Street, where he warned the public that the October budget would be “painful” as they need to plug a £22bn “black hole” in public finances.
Other papers lead on Starmer’s trip to Europe where the British prime minister aims to ‘reset’ relations and turn a corner on Brexit. “We must turn a corner on Brexit and fix the broken relationships left behind by the previous government,” he said.
News of the Oasis reunion tour is featured on the front page of most newspapers, as the band announced they will tour the UK and Ireland in 2025.