Credit where it’s due: The PM wouldn’t offer a number, only stating that his government had been “driving up” eligibility and urging Badenoch to “join that campaign.” Good luck with that one.
Case for the defense: Starmer stressed the U.K. triple lock guaranteeing rises to the state pension remains protected. He then tried to turn the tables, pointing out that Badenoch’s top finance spokesperson, Mel Stride, just a fortnight ago called the triple lock “unsustainable.” Awks.
Age old question: Badenoch (sorta) channeled former Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn by reading out quotes and data from outside organisations to make her point. Charity Age UK said cutting winter fuel payments could “potentially jeopardize the health and finances of millions of older people,” she pointed out. Some 850,000 hard-up, eligible pensioners are not claiming the credit — and if they do it’ll wipe out the saving Starmer’s aiming for anyway, Badenoch argued.
Warm reception: Starmer pointed to a household support fund to ease the pain, and then referenced a niche Westminster story from last week about Badenoch not liking sandwiches. “Maybe over a sandwich or a steak, they could … tell us what their policy actually is,” he quipped. Cheers in the chamber, but not sure that one’s going viral…
It’s a knockout: Badenoch kept going. She highlighted a warning from hospice charity Marie Curie that Labour’s budget will cost them nearly £3 million in increased taxes. Starmer went on about previous Tory manifestos and argued Labour is improving “productivity, prosperity and living standards.”
Pulling no punches: “I don’t know what world he is living in,” Badenoch shot back. That gave her a nice chance to point out that inflation is now at an eight-month high. “He will pretend that this is about the past. But we all know these are his choices,” she said, adding: “If he is looking for a New Year’s resolution, why doesn’t he start with telling the truth?”