KEIR Starmer insisted that he works with Scottish Labour in a “harmonious way” after he was challenged on the Winter Fuel Payment cut at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.
The Labour leader’s policy has been opposed by Scottish group leader Anas Sarwar, who has pledged to bring in a universal Winter Fuel Payment north of the Border to mitigate his own party’s policy.
Sarwar had been a vocal supporter of the cut until it began to hit Labour at the ballot box in by-elections across Scotland.
He then performed a screeching U-turn – which reports said left Scottish Labour MPs “upset” as they were forced to find out through the media, despite having been whipped to support the cut in a Westminster vote.
SNP MP Kirsty Blackman challenged Starmer on those reports at PMQs.
Keir Starmer insisted he works 'harmoniously' with Scottish Labour after being challenged on the Winter Fuel Payment cut which they oppose 👀 pic.twitter.com/ODEoHjxsdD
— The National (@ScotNational) December 4, 2024
The Aberdeen North MP said: "The Daily Record reported that Scottish Labour MPs are very 'upset’. Apparently this upset is caused by their Scottish leader’s diktat that they now have to support the very Winter Fuel Payment that they voted against in this place.
“As the Prime Minister comforts his upset MPs, will he remind him that the only people with the right to be upset are the 900,000 Scottish pensioners who were left in the cold by Labour's cuts?”
In response, Starmer said: “I work very closely with Scottish Labour in a harmonious way.
“We ran a fantastic campaign earlier this year, which is why she's sitting up there [on Westminster backbenches] and not down here [where the third party sits].”
Starmer had also been challenged on the Winter Fuel Payment cut by the SNP’s Pete Wishart, but also did not answer.
Wishart, the SNP’s depute leader at Westminster, had said: “Today is the Scottish Budget.
“Inside it, you will find provisions to reinstate Winter Fuel Payments to all Scottish pensioners, something that he, of course, famously took away from nearly all of the UK pensioners, supported by Scottish Labour members of parliament.
“But apparently Scottish Labour are now in favour of Winter Fuel Payments. So, what's his advice to Labour MSPs?
“Is it too vote for the Budget to ensure that Scottish pensioners get that Winter Fuel Payment, or to stick with his view and vote that Budget down.”
In response, Starmer said that the Labour Government had given “the biggest settlement to Scotland this year under our Budget”.
“They now have the powers. They have the resources. They've got no more excuses for the failure to deliver,” the Prime Minister said.
Pushed on the split between UK and Scottish Labour on the Winter Fuel Payment, Murray also pointed to Barnett Consequentials totalling around £4.9 billion in additional funding for the Scottish Government for this year and the next.
The Labour MP also declined to take any responsibility for the Winter Fuel Payment cut, saying the benefit was devolved and that the decision to make it means-tested had been the SNP’s.
The SNP Government did cut back the benefit north of the Border, but only after Chancellor Rachel Reeves ended the universal Winter Fuel Payment soon after entering power, meaning Holyrood lost an estimated £160 million in Barnett Consequentials.
The Scottish Government has said it will reintroduce a universal £100 Winter Fuel Payment for pensioners from 2025 in its Budget, which will be delivered on Wednesday.
