Will Cameron apologise for accusing Labour of lies over winter fuel payments?
9:01 am - August 18th 2010
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The Telegraph is reporting today that ministers have “resolved to increase the qualifying age” for the winter fuel allowance from 60 to atleast 66. Even that may be increased.
The basic winter fuel payment will also be cut by £50 for new recipients and £100 for the oldest.
Contrast that with Cameron only in April this year
:
We will keep the free television licence, we will keep the pension credit, we’ll keep the winter fuel allowance, we’ll keep the free bus pass. Those leaflets you have been getting from Labour, the letters you have been getting from Labour are pure and simple lies.
Not only that, he also explicitly states: “We will keep what we inherit in all of those important areas.”
Watch the video below
(via LabourList)
It’s obvious that it’s Cameron who has now broken his explicit promise, while he accused Labour of lying.
Labour should demand that he apologise for u-turning so quickly after the election.
A point of note: some have asked why fuel payments should be paid to all pensioners, rich and poor. It’s important, in my view, to defend the idea of universality of service and welfare. Means-testing is not only overly bureaucratic and inefficient, it takes away from the idea that the welfare state is for everyone.
Like the NHS – public services should be for everyone, not just the poor. Otherwise, public support for those services falls quickly.
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Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
· Other posts by Sunny Hundal
Story Filed Under: Blog ,Economy
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Reader comments
Another day, another Tory manifesto lie exposed.
Amazing given the fuss they made about Labour abandoning their manifesto pledge on an EU Constitution referendum – which is of far less importance to people’s lives than the whoppers on “we’ll only cut waste”, “we’ll protect social housing” and “we’ll maintain the WFA” told by the Tories.
Ahh, but Sunny, you forget, when they finally got to see ‘the books’ the economy is in a far worse state than everyone thought, so they had no choice…
“So when Mr Osborne declared yesterday that “it’s worse than we thought” he had precious little to point to. The so-called structural deficit (the amount of overspend that will not be eliminated by an economic recovery) is a little bigger than had been estimated. But crucially, Mr Osborne’s election goal – to abolish “the bulk” of the structural deficit by 2014 – would have been easily achieved had Mr Darling remained in place. No more taxes need to be raised, or budgets cut, to honour this Tory manifesto pledge.”
[Fraser Nelson, editor of The Spectator, writing in the Telegraph in June about how Osborne should cut cut cut for ideological reasons (http://tinyurl.com/35p7xzq)]
Otherwise, what you are saying is that Cameron cynically lied and at the same time had the hypocrisy to complain about ‘Labour lies.’ And Dave is a nice chap and wouldn’t do that…
AFZ
Yes Cameron has been all politician, (see definition of lying), about this but I assume this is related to raising the pension age. Why should those who have yet to retire get winter fuel payments? As to:
“it takes away from the idea that the welfare state is for everyone.”
I think that is the plan, you may not agree with it but its a feature not a bug.
Hold the front page – Cameron’s a bullshitter?!!? Say it ain’t so.
Anywho – what’s this about the Lib Dems polling at 8% £(it may be Cleggies approval rating). Now i’m not psephological statto but 8% seems a bit of a problem for any politician. is this co-altion gonna die before it starts? Are the Lib Dems man enough to oust the Clegg (unlike Labour, obviously, who’d couldn’t even get rid of the 3rd worst prime mentalist in history). Interwestiiing times.
It’s obvious that it’s Cameron who has now broken his explicit promise
It is certainly not obvious, perhaps because it is totally untrue. The Telegraph story you base this post on itself actually says:
Whitehall talks are focused on how to cut the cost without breaking promises on winter fuel payments.
In the clip you embed, Cameron is very clear that he is addressing existing pensioners who have received frightening leaflets put out by Labour. Cameron is unequivocal in reassuring them that their benefits will not be cut.
Nor will they be.
Existing pensioners will continue to enjoy the benefits at the same level as before.
Future generations of pensioners are a different matter. Cameron made no promises to people currently in their 50s. He was explicitly and in terms addressing the already retired.
Will Call Me Dave apologise? Nah, he’ll just blame Nick Clegg – with some justification if that Telegraph story is true: “Liberal Democrat ministers, led by Nick Clegg, are pushing for the qualifying age to go even higher. Some suggest that, ultimately, only those aged 75 and over should receive winter fuel payments.”
This on the same day that Hughes has called for a LibDem veto… as Dick @4 says, “Interwestiiing times” indeed.
First he’ll have to apologize for saying that Labour were lying about security of tenure. The Tories were saying it was a smear for Labour to claim they wanted to end secure council tenancies at the very same time as they were discussing with housing professionals how they could get rid of secure tenancies.
Well, how old should I have to be to get the fuel allowance? Or a Freedom Pass or even a pension?
Women who retire at 60 have a life expectancy ten times as long as that of the first Old Age Pensioners provided for in a budget of Lloyd George’s.
Like the NHS – public services should be for everyone, not just the poor. Otherwise, public support for those services falls quickly.
I can see some force in that argument for genuine services, but you are extending it to benefits.
While there’s a case to be made for keeping Child Benefit universal, it would be a bit daft to universalize most benefits, wouldn’t it?
@8
Beside the point methinks. If Cameron had raised that debate during or before the election then fine, but he didn’t – he made explicit promises to keep certain benefits and accused Labour of lies when confronted about it. And that’s the point of contention.
“Like the NHS – public services should be for everyone, not just the poor. Otherwise, public support for those services falls quickly.”
So the distribution of public funds should not be based on economics or what works but on a desire to maintain public support for the welfare state?
So call me Dave is a liar..
No news to me. He lied about VAT, so he will lie about anything. He lies when he says he is middle class.
But the tories don’t mind because he looks Prime Ministerial, Whatever that means. That is the latest bullshit defence of him.
Anywho – what’s this about the Lib Dems polling at 8% £(it may be Cleggies approval rating)
It’s a voodoo poll – not weighted at all. LibdemVoice has a take-down, though UK Polling Report kills the poll entirely.
Can’t believe Sky actually tried to come up with seat projections from a self-selecting random poll. Over 50% of people voted Tory in that sample for chrissake!
So the Tories were lying about rises in vat, lying about winter fuel payments what else were they lying about. Labour told the electorate what would happen and now its a reality. The Liberal Democrats on the other hand are clinging to the Tory shirt tale just to get into power, Nick Clegg is clearly out of his depth and uncomfortable with the alliance. Dont forget that “Call me Dave” had the Thatcher woman round for tea when most Tories wouldn’t touch her with a bargepole, I am afraid that the working class are in for a very rough ride and are going to have to pay for what the bankers on wall street have caused
But surely paying welfare benefits for recepients across the income strata is to the detriment one of the fundamental aims of welfare-to redistribute wealth from rich to poor?
It is obscene that wealthy pensioners should receive for handouts from the state when there are so many pensioners living in fuel poverty.
The money would be better spent helping the poorest and most vulnerable in society.
@13 – ah, hmm, cheers for that. So err…not so intewesttiing times then? Oh, bugger. Was hoping that the CSR would force an election. It must be odd being a Lib Demmer though.
Reactions: Twitter, blogs
- Liberal Conspiracy
Will Cameron apologise for accusing Labour of lies over winter fuel payments? http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ
- Simon HB
RT @libcon Will Cameron apologise for accusing Labour of lies over winter fuel payments? http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ
- ANN LANGLEY
RT @libcon: Will Cameron apologise for accusing Labour of lies over winter fuel payments? http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ
- Edward Bonilla
RT @libcon: Will Cameron apologise for accusing Labour of lies over winter fuel payments? http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ
- David Cameron
I think people understand that we would never make this uturn unless the dire economic state required it, snigger: http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ
- Bry
RT @davecameroon: I think people understand that we would never make this uturn unless the dire economic state required it, snigger: http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ
- Nick Watts
RT @libcon: Will Cameron apologise for accusing Labour of lies over winter fuel payments? http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ
- Kevin Maguire
So Cameron lied about what he dubbed lies. Double-deceit of the ConDem new politics is worse than the old http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
- Steve Wakefield
RT @Kevin_Maguire: So Cameron lied about what he dubbed lies. Double-deceit of the ConDem new politics is worse than the old http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
- yorkierosie
RT @Kevin_Maguire: So Cameron lied about what he dubbed lies. Double-deceit of the ConDem new politics is worse than the old http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
- Richard Hincks
RT @Kevin_Maguire: So Cameron lied about what he dubbed lies. Double-deceit of ConDem new politics worse than the old http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
- Jordan Hall
RT @Kevin_Maguire: So Cameron lied about what he dubbed lies. Double-deceit of the ConDem new politics is worse than the old http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
- Andy Sutherland
RT @Kevin_Maguire: So Cameron lied about what he dubbed lies. Double-deceit of the ConDem new politics is worse than the old http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
- ann
RT @Kevin_Maguire: So Cameron lied about what he dubbed lies. Double-deceit of the ConDem new politics is worse than the old http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
- Quarrenne
RT @Kevin_Maguire: So Cameron lied about what he dubbed lies. Double-deceit of the ConDem new politics is worse than the old http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
- Roy Bailey
RT @Kevin_Maguire: So Cameron lied about what he dubbed lies. Double-deceit of the ConDem new politics is worse than the old http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
- LSESU Labour
Makey, breaky promises. Cameron on WFP http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
- Dan Ashley
RT @Kevin_Maguire: So Cameron lied about what he dubbed lies. Double-deceit of the ConDem new politics is worse than the old http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
- William French
RT @Kevin_Maguire: So Cameron lied about what he dubbed lies. Double-deceit of the ConDem new politics is worse than the old http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
- David Shaw
RT @Kevin_Maguire: So Cameron lied about what he dubbed lies. Double-deceit of the ConDem new politics is worse than the old http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
- Tracey Carter
RT @davecameroon: I think people understand that we would never make this uturn unless the dire economic state required it, snigger: http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ
- James Lock
RT @Kevin_Maguire: So Cameron lied about what he dubbed lies. Double-deceit of the ConDem new politics is worse than the old http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
- Wesley Rykalski
RT @Kevin_Maguire: So Cameron lied about what he dubbed lies. Double-deceit of the ConDem new politics is worse than the old http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
- Robert Steadman
RT @Kevin_Maguire: So Cameron lied about what he dubbed lies. Double-deceit of the ConDem new politics is worse than the old http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
- Aidan Lennon
RT @Kevin_Maguire: So Cameron lied about what he dubbed lies. Double-deceit of the ConDem new politics is worse than the old http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
- Tom Reynolds
RT @Kevin_Maguire: So Cameron lied about what he dubbed lies. Double-deceit of the ConDem new politics is worse than the old http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
- Seth Jacobson
RT @Kevin_Maguire: So Cameron lied about what he dubbed lies. Double-deceit of the ConDem new politics is worse than the old http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
- Odhran Mc Alinden
RT @Kevin_Maguire: So Cameron lied about what he dubbed lies. Double-deceit of the ConDem new politics is worse than the old http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
- David Bain
RT @davecameroon: I think people understand that we would never make this uturn unless the dire economic state required it, snigger: http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ
- sunny hundal
Will Cameron apologise for accusing Labour of lies over winter fuel payments? http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ
- Conor Pope
RT @sunny_hundal: Will Cameron apologise for accusing Labour of lies over winter fuel payments? http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ
- House Of Twits
RT @sunny_hundal Will Cameron apologise for accusing Labour of lies over winter fuel payments? http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ
- Mark Ferguson
RT @Conorpope: RT @sunny_hundal: Will Cameron apologise for accusing Labour of lies over winter fuel payments? http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ
- Tom Earnshaw
RT @sunny_hundal: Will Cameron apologise for accusing Labour of lies over winter fuel payments? http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ
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RT @sunny_hundal: Will Cameron apologise for accusing Labour of lies over winter fuel payments? http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ
- Steve Wakefield
RT @Conorpope: RT @sunny_hundal: Will Cameron apologise for accusing Labour of lies over winter fuel payments? http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ
- Adam
RT @sunny_hundal: Will Cameron apologise for accusing Labour of lies over winter fuel payments? http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ » never!
- Richard Johnson
RT @sunny_hundal: Will Cameron apologise for accusing Labour of lies over winter fuel payments? http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ
- Paul Duxbury
RT @sunny_hundal: Will Cameron 1st apologise for accusing Labour of lies over winter fuel pymnts? http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ and 2nd not cut them
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RT @Kevin_Maguire: So Cameron lied about what he dubbed lies. Double-deceit of the ConDem new politics is worse than the old http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
- Bella Caledonia
RT @davecameroon: I think people understand that we would never make this uturn unless the dire economic state required it, snigger: http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ
- Adam Geraghty
RT @sunny_hundal: Will Cameron apologise for accusing Labour of lies over winter fuel payments? http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ
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RT @davecameroon: I think people understand that we would never make this uturn unless the dire economic state required it, snigger: http://bit.ly/bBJDMZ
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RT @Kevin_Maguire: So Cameron lied about what he dubbed lies. Double-deceit of the ConDem new politics is worse than the old http://bit.ly/dwWcPW
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