Fury as Wes Streeting tells freezing Brits ‘turn the heating on’ in -8C freeze after Labour axed Winter Fuel Payments
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WES Streeting has told pensioners to “layer up and put the heating on” this weekend as he faced a grilling for axing universal winter fuel payments. The Health Secretary was challenged on Labour’s decision to strip nearly 10million OAPs of the cash as temperatures plummet.
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Campaigners Age UK have warned that 2.5million poorer people who need the money - but have lost out - should go into debt rather than leave the radiators off. Mr Streeting agreed that Brits should turn up the thermostat and wrap up warm - but defended Rachel Reeves’ controversial Budget measures.
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He told BBC Breakfast: “Well this is definitely a weekend to turn the heating on, and I would just remind people that the chancellor did take the decision to protect winter fuel allowance for the poorest pensioners to protect people this winter and in future winters.
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“And of course the triple lock on pensions is guaranteed, so the state pension is higher this winter than it was last year and will be higher further still next year. "That’s why the chancellor has taken those decisions, to make sure we protect the vulnerable this winter.
“But I would certainly agree that this weekend is a weekend to layer up and put the heating on as well.”. His comments sparked anger among some viewers, with one saying: “Isn't it a shame that the Labour government made it so hundreds of thousands of pensioners cannot afford to turn the heating on?”.
