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Sir Ed Davey told BBC Breakfast: “I think pensioners will be going to this winter really worried if Parliament doesn\u2019t stop the government from doing this.”<\/p>\n
Since Labour took office, the Lib Dems – who now have a record 72 seats – have been broadly supportive of the new government. But Sir Ed signalled this had its limits in his BBC interview.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged that the government had a “budget problem”, a legacy from the Conservatives, he said, “which is really, really tough”. <\/p>\n
But he added: “I don’t think the way to balance the books is to take away this crucial support for millions of pensioners, just as we’re going into winter when fuel bills are going up.”<\/p>\n
Sir Ed said there were “other choices” available to balance the books, and his party would support getting the “very wealthiest in our country to pay more” to fund investment in public services.<\/p>\n
Asked whether he accepted that some pensioners did not need the winter fuel payment, he said: “I think we\u2019ve got to focus on the millions of people who do need this.” <\/p>\n
He said he hoped a Commons vote can be held within two weeks of Parliament’s return on Monday on the winter fuel issue. <\/p>\n
The Conservatives, who have already submitted their own motion calling for a Commons debate and vote, also oppose the scrapping of universal winter fuel payments to pensioners. <\/p>\n
They have called for cheap, non-renewable energy to be prioritised over “reckless net zero targets” to help struggling families this winter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/picture><\/span>Reuters<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n