Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to axe benefits has caused outrage (Image: Getty)
Scrapping the winter fuel allowance made Sir Keir Starmer look “bad” – but he looks “even worse” by going back on the decision, according to unimpressed voters. The Prime Minister’s U-turn “provoked laughter” in focus groups run by Conservative peer and pollster Lord Ashcroft in Leeds, Bradford, Rushcliffe and Wellingborough after the Labour leader said an improving economy meant the Government can now afford to give more people the benefit.
It comes as latest YouGov polling puts Reform UK in first place on 28%, 1% down on last week, with Labour on 22% (+1). The Conservatives are on 18% (-1), the Liberal Democrats on 17% (+2), and the Greens on 9% (-2). Lord Ashcroft said: “The PM’s explanation that moving the threshold was now affordable because the economy was improving simply provoked laughter.” One voter said: “How have we gone from ‘there’s a £22billion black hole’ to ‘things are improving’?”
Another participant said: “There was such a backlash. He’s just trying to win favour, isn’t he?”
In one scathing comment, a voter said: “He made himself look bad doing it, but he’s made himself look even worse going back on it.”
Another said: “There’s no thought and no strategic plan. It’s like a tombola of ideas.
“They just chuck it out and see what works. And then they say: ‘Oh, that didn’t work, we’ll do a U-turn and say we’re listening and that will be great PR.”
Rise of Reform seen as ‘driving factor’
Nigel Farage’s Reform has shown it can win votes (Image: Getty)
Lord Ashcroft said the change in policy also annoyed people who supported introducing means-testing.
One said: “I’m cabin crew and I have people on my flights saying: ‘Our heating money’s paid for this holiday.’”
There was concern about Labour’s management of the national finances, with one person saying: “Where are they going to get the money from? Are they going to borrow it, or put our taxes up again?”
The peer said committed Labour voters were the most likely to give Sir Keir some credit, with one saying: “I actually admire the fact that if you make a mistake and it’s not landing, you own it and do something about it.”
But voters suspected the policy change was in response to Reform UK’s success in last month’s election.
“How Reform did in the local elections was probably the driving factor,” one said.
In another comment, a member of the public said: “You’ve kind of gotta sniff a bit of desperation.”
The research comes as pressure mounts on Sir Keir within his own party to axe the two-child benefit cap. Reform UK has pledged to scrap the cap and reverse the winter fuel cuts.
But one voter said: “I’ve got six children and I agree with the cap, because all the extra children I had, I’ve paid for.”
One participant in the focus groups said Reform wants “to eat Labour’s lunch”, adding: “If they can get Labour out by being clever, take the Red Wall seats, then great, I don’t really care. Just as long as I get this lot out.”
In another blast at Sir Keir, a voter said: “I think Blair had conviction in what he said. They had policies and stood by them.
“Starmer, because you’re unsure where he actually is, as much as I want to like him and support him, he’s moving to the Right to compete with the Tories and Reform.”
Which party leader reminds voters of ‘Dobby the house elf?’
Sir Keir Starmer has been compared to Dobby, the house elf from Harry Potter (Image: Getty)
Participants were asked to say who the party leaders would be if they were fictional characters. Suggestions for Sir Keir included children’s television personality Mr Tumble and Dobby, the House Elf from Harry Potter.
Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, was described as “sort of invisible and compared to “Harry Potter under a cloak”, while Nigel Farage was likened to “a sketch from Little Britain”.
Campaigners wait for action on winter fuel
Caroline Abrahams, of Age UK, said she welcomed the Prime Minister’s “commitment to change” but said the “devil is always in the detail”.
She said: “Means-testing winter fuel payment in the way the Government announced last summer resulted in many pensioners on low incomes missing out on money they simply couldn’t afford to lose and at Age UK we saw the results in the winter just gone: very significant numbers of older people too frightened to turn on their heating when it was cold, making life utterly miserable for them and putting their health at risk.”
She warned that if “nothing changes, next winter threatens to be just as bad”.
A government spokesperson said: “We inherited public finances that were in a disastrous state and had to take swift action to stabilise the economy. Because of the decisions we made, we have been able to protect the triple lock, which will benefit over 12million pensioners by around £1,900 over the course of this parliament and have seen four cuts to interest rates.
“As the economy recovers, we want more people to feel the benefits of that in their everyday lives. That’s why we would like to expand the number of pensioners who are eligible for winter Fuel Payment when possible.”
“Our number one mission remains putting more money into people’s pockets through our plan for change– and we know that many people are still struggling with the cost of living, including pensioners. As the economy recovers, we want more people to feel the benefits of that in their everyday lives. That’s why we would like to expand the number of pensioners who are eligible for Winter Fuel Payment when possible.”
