This winter fuel fiasco will save Labour £1.3bn this year. But it will cost Starmer more | Simon Jenkins

The PM’s poor approval rating suggests a tricky road ahead, and the Treasury’s macho posturing won’t help anyoneShould the pensioners’ winter fuel allowance be cut? For most people it’s a simple question, though most people’s opinion is of no account. For 404 Labour MPs, however, it is indeed of account. They get to vote on it.Yet up to 50 are said to be struggling, with dozens being persuaded by their whips merely to abstain rather than vote against. What is the point? With a majority of 158, abstaining means yes. It is mere virtue signalling and a plea to the Lords to show more guts when they vote on the decision later this week. An abstaining MP’s conscience may be a little warmer, but the pensioners will be just as cold.Simon Jenkins is a Guardian columnistDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei TheGuardian Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei TheGuardian