Moray MSPs blast Scottish Labour over winter fuel payment motion
A motion at Holyrood urging the Labour UK government to reinstate the winter fuel payment for pensions has sparked a local row.
Moray SNP MSP Richard Lochhead and Highlands and Islands Conservative MSP Douglas Ross have both slammed the Scottish Labour after the majority of the group refused to support the motion.
As things stand, only OAPs claiming pension credit will be eligible for the payment, which can be as much as £300.
Over 17,000 pensioners in Moray will be impacted by the cut and will be amongst the hardest hit due to colder winters experience in the north of Scotland.
Mr Lochhead noted that all of the SNP MSPs present voted in favour of the motion.
He continued: "Parties in the Scottish Parliament had the opportunity to come together…to unite against the UK government cut to the winter fuel payment and given that chance Scottish Labour absolutely failed to stand up for vulnerable pensioners in Moray.
“Despite big promises before the general election to cut energy prices, the Labour government are cutting vital support for pensioners this winter at the same time as energy bills are actually going up.
“No thought has been given by the UK government to households in Scotland where we have much harsher winters and pensioners here in energy rich Moray have been left out in the cold by Labour.
“It is shameful that Scottish Labour will not stand up to the UK Labour government and demand they reverse these cruel cuts. Labour have shown that they cannot be trusted to stand up for people in Moray or to support vulnerable people who need it most.”
Mr Ross criticised both SNP and Labour MSPs who voted against a Conservative proposal in the Scottish Parliament to reinstate the winter fuel payment for all pensioners.
The Scottish Conservatives tabled a motion in the Scottish Parliament that would see the winter fuel payment reintroduced for all pensioners, rather than only those who receive pension credit.
Mr Ross said: “While Labour took the decision to axe the winter fuel payment, just days after the election, here in Scotland the benefit is controlled by the Scottish Government.
"The SNP Scottish Government’s decision to repeat this cruel cut in Scotland is one of the worst decisions they have taken in a long line of poor choices by the Nationalists in government.
"The Scottish Conservatives’ motion in parliament stressed the need to reverse this move and restore winter fuel payments for all pensioners. Incredibly SNP and Labour voted this proposal down.
“Thousands of people in Moray will rightly be extremely angry at the way their lifeline winter fuel payments have been stripped from them by the SNP and Labour, and their local nationalist MSPs who voted for this cut.
“The failure of both the SNP and Labour to do the right thing and continue the winter fuel payments will be remembered for a long time by so many people who are affected by this."
