Waspi women latest: Starmer accused of ‘breaking promise’ as he denies ‘misleading’ women over compensation

The Health Secretary has challenged the idea that some pensioners could die due to changes to the winter fuel allowance.

Wes Streeting insisted pensioners will “still be better off this winter than they were last winter”.

Appearing in front of MPs at a Health and Social Care Committee, Mr Streeting was asked about a 2017 Labour Party estimate that 4,000 people could die if the then government removed the winter fuel allowance.

He was asked if the Department of Health and Social Care has done any assessments on potential deaths following the Government’s announcement in July that the payment would be means-tested.

Mr Streeting replied: “Because of the choices that the Chancellor has made, particularly on protecting the state pension through the triple lock – even taking into account the decisions she’s taken on winter fuel allowance – pensioners will still be better off this winter than they were last winter, and will be better off next winter further still.

“And of course, one of the reasons it gives me confidence to stand by that assertion is she has protected winter fuel allowance for the poorest pensioners and put in place financial support, which I think will make a real difference to people.”

When asked if he meant not a single pensioner will die because of the move, Mr Streeting replied: “I can stand by very strongly the sense that because the state pension is rising in the way that it is, and because of the decisions the Chancellor has taken to protect the poorest pensioners – I admit an unpopular decision with people who’ve lost a winter fuel allowance – but not one that will lead to that fatalistic outcome.”

Downing Street said it recognised continued cost of living pressures following the increase in inflation revealed on Wednesday, but said rising real wages were making households better off.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “I would point you to the Chancellor’s response to this this morning, which together with yesterday’s figures confirmed that real wages are now growing at their fastest rate in three years, so that’s wages taking into account inflation.

“That means after inflation that’s worth on average an extra £20-a-week, and that is important to families who have faced the pinch, who have faced inflation levels of up to 11% in recent months and years.

“But we do understand that the cost of living continues to be a challenge for people.

“That’s why, at the Budget, we kept fuel prices down through the freeze of fuel duty, it’s why next year the national living wage will be boosted by £1,400, and it’s why the Government’s made its mission to grow the economy based on the fact that we want to drive and improve living standards for people up and down the country.”

Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) campaigners have accused the Prime Minister of spreading “dangerous misinformation” in his defence of how State Pension age changes were communicated to women born in the 1950s.

Angela Madden, Chair of Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI), said: “This isn’t just misleading; it’s an insult to millions of 1950s-born women who were blindsided by these changes. The Ombudsman’s findings were based on rigorous evidence showing that 60 per cent of women had no idea their own State Pension age was rising.

“The Government’s attempt to cherry-pick data to suggest otherwise is spreading dangerous misinformation, plain and simple.”

Ms Madden added: “The fact that 90 per cent of women had some general awareness of potential changes in the future does not mean they knew this would impact them personally.

“That is exactly why the Ombudsman identified maladministration and why this Government’s continued attempts to muddy the waters are so unacceptable.”

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said there is “very deep disquiet” among members of the incoming US administration about the agreement for the Chagos Islands.

Mr Farage, a long-time backer of US President-elect Donald Trump, told the Commons: “I’ve just returned hotfoot from a very full Mar-a-Lago and I’ve spoken to several members, senior administrators especially, of the incoming administration who will be in the White House in 32 days’ time.

“Let me assure you there is very deep disquiet amongst all of them as to what this may mean for the long-term future of Diego Garcia and whether any such deal would hold given the precedent of the deal break over Hong Kong. They also can’t understand why we’d surrender the sovereignty of these islands on an advisory judgment from a pretty obscure court.”

He added: “Can we please, if we respect the sovereignty of Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands on the basis of it’s what the people want, have a referendum of all of the eligible Chagossians and let them decide what the future sovereignty of the Chagos Islands is?”

Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty said the interests of the Chagossians are “absolutely at the heart” of the agreement, adding: “I do find (Mr Farage) continues to speculate.

“With the greatest respect, he does not know the detail of what is agreed, he doesn’t know the detail that has been shared, he doesn’t know the detail that the national security apparatus of the United States has considered, and I am confident that he would have his concerns allayed when he sees the detail of this deal.”

The Independent looks at all the times Sir Keir Starmer has let voters down or outright U-turned on his promises on the journey from Labour leader to prime minister

Read the full report below:

By alienating the demographic most likely to turn out to vote, Keir Starmer will now struggle to shake off accusations that his government is happy to say one thing and do another, says John Rentoul

Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty said the Mauritian prime minister is “willing to conclude this deal with the United Kingdom” as he defended the Government’s negotiations on the Chagos Islands.

Responding to shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel he told MPs: “We are absolutely not damaging our security. We are protecting it through this deal, and that is why this deal has been agreed to protect the operation of that base, to protect it against the legal uncertainty, and to ensure that it is on a safe footing well into the next century.”

He added: “(Dame Priti) asked me, would we be able to extend the lease? The answer is yes. Would we continue to have the autonomy of our operations for those allies? Absolutely yes. Are there safeguards in place to prevent foreign forces or others on the outer islands? Absolutely yes. I have answered the questions on costs a number of times in the House. We are very, very clear that it is not normal practice for the United Kingdom to confirm the value of its payments for military bases anywhere across the globe.”

Mr Doughty further stated: “She referred to media reports, there is a huge amount of speculation. Let’s get back to the actual facts on this which is that the prime minister has confirmed himself in Mauritius to his assembly, that he is willing to conclude this deal with the United Kingdom. Those are the facts and we will protect our national security and our interests.”

The rise in inflation last month is likely to mean higher borrowing costs for longer.

Prices rose at the faster rate of 2.6 per cent in November, up from 2.3 per cent in October.

The faster price gains for consumer goods like food and energy place inflation outside the Bank of England’s target rate of 2 per cent, which means a fall in interest rates is unlikely, economists say.

Petrol prices, train travel and products such as margarine and eggs helped drive up prices the most, the Office for National Statistics said.

Howard Mustoe reports:

The Prime Minister does not accept that he “misled” Waspi campaigners by backing their calls for compensation, Downing Street has said.

Asked whether Sir Keir Starmer would accept that characterisation, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “No, but as I say I can’t speak to comments made pre-election.

“But the point that I’d make is that in Government the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for DWP have been able to study the Ombudsman’s report and it is very clear that this cohort faced no direct financial loss as a result of delays in DWP sending out those letters, that by 2006 90% of the cohort were aware that the state pension age was changing.

“He and the secretary of state yesterday were very clear that this is a difficult decision, it is not one that has been taken lightly, but it’s based on the evidence in the Ombudsman’s report.”

Sir Keir’s spokesperson added the government has “no plans” for a vote on whether to compensate women affected by changes to the state pension age.