12 November - Difficult Choices and the ‘wicked’ response
Following the Leader’s report the Council usually nods
through their approval of the reports from the various Committees and when they
do it is a non-event not worth reporting here. Last week however things were
slightly different. The Adult Social Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny
Committee chaired by Councillor Janice Ward-Wilson was pulled out for further comment.
Can it be coincidence that it allowed them to loudly blow their trumpets and
make Labour reach deep into their Bexley Box of excuses?
Unusually this report is verbatim so that you can judge if those excuses were
lame or not. Spoiler alert: They were very lame. That may be because Bexley’s
Labour Leader is not an enthusiast for killing old people or it may be because
there is no valid excuse.
Cabinet Member Melvyn Seymour (Crayford) said the stand out subject was the withdrawal
of the Winter Fuel Allowance. “It should not be under played that a large number
of our elderly residents are going to be at severe risk of protracted and
ongoing illness because of these cuts. The Party opposite makes great play about
respiratory conditions because of ULEZ; well many of our elderly people do
suffer from respiratory problems unconnected with ULEZ and it is hardly going to
be helpful for them to return to cold houses as they can’t put their heating on.
I think Members around this Chamber should know in the discussions I have
regularly with my Director that our hospitals are mainly, now almost exclusively
in OPEL 4 which is the highest level before we go to a very serious level of alert.”
[Operational Pressures Escalation Level.]
“The fact that people are going there now in larger numbers you can argue is
demographic change, a lot of it is different conditions still relating to Covid,
I know some people find that difficult to believe but is certainly true.
Although Covid is in the rear mirror it still certainly casts its shadow over
people with mental health and various health issues. Not helped by the fact that
NHS doctors were on strike for a long time and thousands of procedures, elective
procedures, were put on hold. That has hardly helped the situation. It might be
unpalatable but it is a fact.
This puts an enormous pressure on our discharge facility which is working really
well at the moment, and our re-enablement and I pay great credit to the team for
the work that they are doing.
It is quite simple, this withdrawal of Winter Fuel Allowance is going to make
people fearful; it is going to cause us enormous problems in how we plan for our
Winter resilience but even more importantly, although we will continue to provide
our statutory duty the bottom line is that the most vulnerable people in our
society, those that are housebound and do not qualify for the Credit, are going
to be sicker for longer and I find that personally an appalling indictment on
the state of our politics.”
Councillor
Craske wanted to say that there had been three developments since the Scrutiny meeting was held.
The first was that “although we were told by the Members opposite before the
election that our energy bills would be cut by £600 in fact the Regulator has
announced that bills will go up by an average £150”.
“Secondly we have launched the Bexley Box to step in and help those hit hardest
by the cruel and wicked Labour cut to the Winter Fuel Allowance and I hope all
Members will be supporting this Box and putting things in and helping delivering
them and supporting those most in need particularly those responsible for the cut.”
“Thirdly we have announced we will be providing help through the Household
Support Fund and again to help those hit hardest by this cut. It is estimated in
research published a while ago, that 4,000 elderly people could die as a result
of the removal of Winter Fuel Allowance. Now that is not my words, it is the
Labour Party’s research before the election. They said that if the Winter Fuel
Allowance is cut they expected some 4,000 people to die and they have now
implemented the policy that they were against before the election and now they
are in favour of it. And those that made that decision, the wealthy Cabinet
Ministers won’t have to worry about reductions into the Fuel Allowance because
if they need a big warm coat or a big jumper they can just phone up Lord Ali and
he will donate thousands of them. Maybe he can donate some to the Bexley Box.”
“Earlier when given the opportunity to explain why they had gone back on that
pledge to reduce bills by £600 and take the Winter Fuel Allowance away from
34,000 residents the Labour Group had nothing to say, They couldn’t say
anything. Don’t they support this decision by their own Government? Let them
stand up now and tell us why they support taking the Winter Fuel Allowance away
after telling us they were going to give us £600. Let’s hear from them. I know
many Bexley residents will welcome our initiatives through the Household Support
Fund and the new Bexley Box to minimise or help reduce the impact of these
wicked Winter Fuel Allowance cruel cuts from the Labour Party.”
Councillor
Stefano Borella (Labour Leader, Slade Green and Northend) responded by saying “in politics, difficult decisions have to
be taken. I can look at many decisions which you have taken in this Council that
I think are detrimental to people in this borough over many many years but you
took them for whatever reason to balance the books or Make Bexley Better. That
is what we always hear from the Party opposite. Our Government had to come in
and deal with an appalling situation. There is no point in saying it is all
fantastic, we’ve been left some golden legacy by the Party opposite. That is
absolute rubbish to hear. I heard what people say about Growth Rates in different
countries but Italy is doing better than this country than when you were last in
power so I think we should not need to listen to the nonsense that I hear
opposite and I heard about Covid.”
“Now I remember Covid. Do you remember Michelle Mone? £37 billion that she got from the Government for that disgraceful
contract. Do you remember the parties in Downing Street? Do you remember the
previous Government sending people home to care homes in the middle of Covid? I
am not going to take any lectures from the Party opposite about how we treat old
people because I think we have been treating old people disgracefully for far
too long and OK, you can have a go at us for the Winter Fuel Allowance, fine,
it’s a fair cop. Would I have wanted my Government to do it? Of course not but
my Government has to make difficult decisions and it has decided to do this. So
it’s a tough decision. Now I don’t mind criticism from other parties but I won’t take the faux
outrage from the Party opposite at all.”
“In 1997 when this policy was brought in, brought in by Gordon Brown and Tony
Blair the Party opposite voted against it in the House of Commons. Their Party
wanted it means tested when they came in, they had to make difficult decisions.
In 2011 they cut [reduced] the Winter Fuel Allowance. They forget that. From
£400 to £300 to £150. They forget that. They forget all the cuts they did years
ago and then in 2017 Theresa May said she did not know how many pensioners would
lose their Winter Fuel Allowance if she won the election. The Conservatives said
they would means test the Winter Fuel Allowance worth up to £300 for all
pensioners if they were elected on the 8th of June [2017]. That was your Party seven
years ago. I stood as a candidate in that election and at the time we did oppose
it but you altered it but here you are attacking the Labour Party for the very
policy that I know that Members opposite… [sic]
“We talked about the Council Tax Reduction Scheme which is a means tested benefit and here you are attacking us for this.
Now I hear what the Council said about The Bexley Box; why was that not done in
years gone by because pensioners were suffering in years [gone] by but now you are
doing it because you want to make political points in this Chamber and you want to embarrass us?”
“I think the way we have treated old people has been disgraceful for many years
and I won’t listen to criticism from the Party opposite about this and certainly
not when you wanted to introduce it and you guys all campaigned on it. You
wanted this, so I am sorry Madam Mayor, I won’t listen to that criticism and in
Covid we are going to have to get that money back from those people who took
that and we can talk about, you know, coats and everything else but I remember
all the disgraceful things that went on under the last Government particularly
under Boris Johnson who yesterday miraculously got off Channel 4 because he was
trying to promote his book, that is all he wants to do. Promote his book.
Nothing in the national interest. So I am sorry Madam Mayor, I may have spent
25 minutes wasting Councillor Craske’s time but I would not have wasted that
time if I had seen sight of that alteration before, we wouldn’t be here now, but
all I will say is I am taking no lectures from the Party opposite. Just remember
that lady there [pointing to a picture of Theresa May], you campaigned for that and you wanted it.”
Councillor Kurtis Christoforides (Conservative, St. Mary’s & St. James) “thought it was interesting that he should wave a
picture of a former Prime Minister and say that she campaigned to means test the
Winter Fuel Allowance and maybe put that in a Manifesto or document so the
public could take a view and vote accordingly and I wonder where the removal of
the Winter Fuel Allowance was in the Labour Party Manifesto before the General
Election because as a keen student of politics I did read through it and didn’t
see it anywhere. Possibly my eyes are failing me. And one other point, the cost
of heating a home was very different all those years ago.”
“The new Government said they would be a Government of service and said
explicitly that they were drawing a line and doing things differently but here
they are taking back-handers and saying one thing and doing another.”
If
Kurtis had had more time to think he may have reminded everyone that the difficult choice was
between cutting WFA and paying off the Labour Government’s Union paymasters and
that Italy has adopted right wing policies. More importantly that the
Conservatives may have talked of means testing or even reducing WFA in 2017 but they
never actually did it. Pensioners may have suffered in years gone by but fuel
costs were only a quarter of what they are now and they still received their WFA. To vote for
its withdrawal after promising not to and saying
nothing about it in the Manifesto and deliberately risk the lives of 4,000 pensioners you
have to be, to quote Councillor Craske, truly wicked and only caring Labour can be that wicked.
How can anyone continue to vote for these ghouls? Their difficult choice must
never be forgotten,
Councillor Janice Ward-Wilson (Conservative,
Crook Log) said the Scrutiny Committee wanted to be sure that all
Members of the Council were aware of the impact on Bexley’s elderly residents of
Labour’s withdrawal of the Winter Fuel Payment. “Without warning in the Manifesto they
removed the payment from thousands of Bexley pensioners with immediate effect in
the quarter that the energy price cap was raised by 10%. Yes, review the
payments but don’t remove it from people on low income, it is too narrow,
without warning and without an Impact Assessment. People need time to adjust to
the change, it is uncaring and so disappointing. Services, charities, families,
friends and neighbours also need time to organise themselves to increase support
for the most vulnerable this Winter. Support that is stretched as services and
charities prepare to pay increased National Insurance contributions.”
“Let no one forget that age is no respecter of persons. If we are healthy and
financially sufficient with good friends and family around us all is well and
Bexley’s good neighbours will look out for those who are elderly. However if we
don’t have those benefits then to enjoy a warm home is our haven.”
“For residents with age reduced ability to regulate bodily temperature Winter
cold can be life threatening. Pensioners are being told by the new Labour
Government that the Triple Lock will remain and they will be 4·1% better off.
This is disingenuous, it is not new and it is not introduced to offset removing
the payment. The Conservatives Government had already committed to the 4·1% Triple
Lock rise and the Triple Lock Plus which meant that the State Pension would
always be below the Tax Threshold avoiding the so called Fiscal Drag. We must
not overlook that the 4·1% will not be the same for everyone. Those on the lower
basic State Pension will receieve less than those on the new State Pension which
will not come until next April when it is getting warmer.”
“In the energy related Cost of Living Crisis
[the Conservatives] also provided Cost of Living Top
Ups which won’t be available this year. Upsetting for those pensioners already
struggling to see the new Government’s high percentage pay awards going to
sectors already earning above the average salary. To have this small payment
removed just as Winter approaches appears callous. No doubt there will be some
who say this is a non-issue now. Move on, it’s done it’s dusted and nothing will
change it but I don’t agree because once the Winter sets in it certainly won’t
be a historic event. It will be very real to those who can’t afford to heat
their homes or won’t heat their homes due to concerns about affordability. The
withdrawal of this payment evidentially will adversely impact a lot of our
residents and the responsibility of this newly imposed hardship lies firmly with
this new Labour Government and with all those who voted in favour of the change.”
“Even though the time to act is short Madam Mayor this Council will do what it
can an where we can including the aforementioned Bexley Box, supporting Pension
Credit applications, signposting of warm spaces including our libraries and
ensuring that information is provided in the Bexley Magazine on what help is available.”
“I commend the leadership and compassion of the Leader of the Council regarding
these measures demonstrating a core value of Conservatism that those who have
worked hard in their lives should have dignity and security in retirement.
Finally I am pleased that this was discussed at the Adults Scrutiny meeting: I
know without doubt that all Members across this Chamber value all our residents
including our elderly so it is time now top make that show and stand up against
this ill-thought through heartless measure. I recommend that all Members here
tonight accept this report and in so doing show support for our most vulnerable
pensioners. Thank you Madam Mayor.”
The report was accepted.
Note: Unusually, the Councillors are quoted here in full
unlike the usual arrangement when the comments are selective and sometimes
abbreviated. This is a very important and divisive issue and those residents
interested in local politics should know who is in favour of supporting the
elderly and who might be less so.
For the record and to counter Government propaganda on the level of pensions, I,
with a full set of pension contributions get rather less than
Government’s stated highest rate of State Pension (£221 a week) but better than the lowest
Basic Pension figure I have seen quoted and I have no idea why.
The Conservative Government gave me a Winter Fuel Allowance and a Cost of
Living payment last year and Labour is giving me nothing. Overall it is a 5%
reduction on last year’s pension payments so their talk of being
pensioners being better off with the 4·1% increase next year is the sort of BS
one can expect from Labour. And that 4·1% is to cover inflation not Rachel
Reeves’ highway robbery.
Fortunately I was in a position to pay into an employers’ pension fund so I am not
in a particularly difficult situation, but spare a thought for those who will freeze this Winter thanks to Wicked Labour.