The Isle of Wight’s 2 MPs have voted completely opposite to one another when it comes to keeping pensioner’s winter fuel allowance – with Labour’s Richard Quigley towing the party line.
Government’s plans to cut the support – which currently sees payments of £300 made to all individuals over the age of 66 – will go ahead after a House of Commons vote yesterday (Tuesday).
The Conservative’s attempted block on Labour’s plans was defeated by 348 votes to 228, although 52 Labour MPs did not vote.
Isle of Wight West’s Richard Quigley voted in favour of his party’s plans to cut the allowance. Meanwhile, Isle of Wight East MP Joe Robertson voted to halt plans – demonstrating the Island’s voice in Westminster is split.
Yesterday’s clear vote – a majority of 120 – means that only those on pension credit or other means-tested benefits will now receive the allowance, as of this winter.
Labour are hoping that the move will save £1.4billion a year by removing the payment from around 10million pensioners, including those on the Isle of Wight.
Joe Robertson MP has told Island Echo.
“I voted to annul the Government’s decision to remove the Winter Fuel Payments for millions of pensioners because It is a rushed, badly thought out and cruel act against some of the most vulnerable in society.
Article continues below this advertisement “18,000 pensioners in the East Wight will have their Winter Fuel Payment removed, some on an income as low as £13,000 who are also facing a rise in the cap on energy prices.
“I spoke in the House of Commons during the debate to remind the Government that some of our pensioners will be living with dementia or long term frailty, and will spend more time in their home during the winter than working age people, but no provision has been made for them.
”At best the Labour Government has made a huge mistake and it should reverse its decision”.
Richard Quigley MP has said:
“During the campaign, I stood on a platform of finding a solution to the issue with ferries, all islanders having their own front door, education, especially SEND and post 16 , NHS dentistry and GP access as well as removing barriers to opportunity. I can only do that as part of the government in power.
“None of us wishes to make matters worse for any of our constituents, but the last government has made a much bigger mess of the country and it’s finances than even we thought.
“Long term, I am committed to ending poverty in all its forms, but the winter fuel allowance has been a sticking plaster that needs a better solution. The triple lock means pensions will increase way in excess of the winter fuel allowance and the pension needs to continue to increase at that rate.
“Lots of people expressed concern over the future of the children and grandchildren during the election, fearing their future were lost. I am fighting to give them a future and what seems like a step backwards now means we will be able to sprint forward when we have cleared up the mess”.
Former Conservative MP Bob Seely has blasted Mr Quigley’s vote:
“I am sad and disappointed to see Labour’s new Isle of Wight West MP vote with this Party and against the interests of the Island.
“We have 16,662 pensioners on our side of the Island. This mean-spirited decision is going to take money out of the pockets of many. For some will cause hardship.
“It is untrue to say the money will come to pensioners in other forms. It will not.
“As for the new MP, what a dreadful start. If he had the courage to do the right thing, I would have congratulated him. Instead, he confirms what we all feared. He is Labour’s man on the Island, not our man in Westminster. He’s in Starmer’s pocket, not on our side.”
“None of us wishes to make matters worse for any of our constituents”
MP Richard Quigley just has.
Supporting the loss of winter fuel allowance for pensioners most in need. It is no good saying that the state pension will be rising next year which will cover this loss. Personal allowances are frozen so many will be taxed on their state pension.
Oh, lets just add in that Labour are also talking about cancelling single person occupancy allowance on council tax which again, will hit pensioners who are left living on their own in later life when their partner dies.
Pensioners have already paid in during their working life and should not have to pay again.
Labour need to address their financial attack on the billionaires.
as well as considering scrapping bus passes
So while the whole country suffers, pensioners should still get the easy life? They didn’t have to work until they are 70. Nor are they getting their pensions cut each week. Taking a few hundred quid over winters to get more back in the spring is a fair deal.
My other half is still having to work at 68 and no prospect of retiring any time before at least 70, so don’t give me that.
I wish we still had only one island MP.
Well done MP Joe Robertson.
Not so MP Richard Quigley.
“None of us wishes to make matters worse for any of our constituents”
You voted for your party not the Isle of Wight residents – some that voted for you.
It is no good Labour saying the state pension will rise next year. That will be too late for many people this coming winter.
As the personal allowances are frozen it will also mean that pensioners will start to pay tax on their state pension.
Labour are also talking about abolishing the single person occupancy discount on council tax which, again, will hit the older generation as many have lost their spouses and partners and living on their own.
Pensioners have already paid throughout their life and are not in a position to pay again.
Plenty of millionaires and billionaires to hit first.
I do so hope that all those misguided people who voted for Quigley now regret their decision. Quigley has shown himself not to be worthy of our trust by voting for a measure that Labour’s own research suggested would result in the deaths of 4,000 pensioners unable to heat their homes.
It’s appalling that Quigley should hide behind the official Labour propaganda on this matter. The fact is he has put his party before the people who voted for him, something I am sure they will all remember next time he asks for their vote!
You voted for a labour MP so you cannot complain that he voted to make you poorer and a lot colder this winter, if all pensioners were members of a militant union do you think the government would have gone after this payment, I have been told that a claim for pension credit will take at least four to six months , how does that help me and thousands like me.
Quigley has just shown the utter contempt he and his overpaid cronies have for their voters, it is easy to take the high ground when you earn over £100,000 plus all the expenses you can fiddle for doing nothing but behave like ill disciplined school children
Where was this in Keir Corbyns manifesto? Took a couple of months and the communist party has punished the pensioners for not voting for them. Well done those of you were blind and voted for the left wingers.
Corbyn would never have betrayed us like that.
I think a closer look at MPs salaries and expenses is needed, surely they should also make sacrifices to help with the country’s finances and not just expect the rest of us to pay more.
I didn’t vote for quigley, and my decision has been justified! Our previous incumbent was bad, but this guy has already shown his contempt for pensioners and we now know that whatever Starmers storm troopers have planned, he will just follow like a bloody sheep! I think we can all rest assured that the future is bleak with little or no hope of a fair, just and honest Government for many years.
Wouldn’t expect Quigley to do anything else. Too scared to vote against Starmer . He doesn’t care about his constituents. Hope gets kicked out next election.
The problem we have is, if the boots was on the other foot and the conservatives had put this through, both Joe and Bob would have voted in favour of scrapping the allowance if it was their party doing it.
On another note, why the F**k are we still hearing from Bob? We got rid of that clown so we got rid of him. True it his name though, Pop up Bob.
All you labour voters got your way now.
Now You can live in tyrannyy
I very much doubt any of them voted for this. We have all been betrayed by a pseudo-Tory party, which has no right to call itself Labour.
Oh dear! Your reporter shouldknow that you “toe the line”, you don’t tow it. ANd why do we want to be told about what Seely thinks. He is not an MP any longer having lost pretty conclusively in what has always been a Tory safe seat. Those most in need who qualify for pension credit will still get the fuel allowance and the protection on the triple lock will deliver a bigger, conslidated pension increase than the one off WFA would provide.
Quigley needs to grow a pair and stand up for his constituents’ interests instead of his disgusting Party. With policies like this, they have no right to call themselves “Labour”. Keir Hardie, Aneurin Bevin and Jim Callaghan must be spinning in their graves.