Labour’s post-election honeymoon looks to be over as it faces pressure this week over winter fuel payments, releasing prisoners early, and the state of the NHS.
Two months after winning a historic majority, Sir Keir Starmer and his ministers have a busy week as they face pressure not just from other parties, but their own MPs.
A vote on winter fuel payments, the prime minister speaking at the TUC conference, prisoners being released early, the publication of a report into the NHS and Sir Keir’s trip to the US are all on the cards this week.
Monday will see Chancellor Rachel Reeves addressing Labour MPs at a Parliamentary Labour Party meeting, where she is expected to face concerns about removing the winter fuel payment from 10 million pensioners.
MPs will vote on Tuesday on whether to limit the winter fuel payment to those on pension credit, after the government announced its intention at the end of July.
Labour MPs will be told they must vote with the government, however several, particularly on the left of the party, have voiced their opposition to the cut.
It is understood they may abstain instead of voting against the government, after Sir Keir set a clear precedent by suspending seven MPs from Labour after they rebelled over the decision to keep the two-child benefit cap.
Sir Keir would not say if he would again suspend MPs for voting against the government, telling the BBC on Sunday: “That will be a matter for the chief whip.”
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Sharon Graham, head of the Unite union, told Sky News on Sunday that they want the government to “think again” and called for a wealth tax instead.
She said: "We are in crisis. The Tories left a mess. No one’s denying that. Labour is right about that, but the choices they make to clear it up are really important.
"If we said the top 50 families in Britain are worth £500 billion, why aren’t they being looked at?
“Why are you looking at pensioners who really don’t have any sort of type of money? That’s the wrong choice to make.”