THIS is the moment Susanna Reid left a Labour MP stumped over a winter fuel question.
The Good Morning Britain presenter grilled the Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones alongside her co-host Ed Balls.
Susanna Reid left Labour MP Darren Jones stumped over a winter fuel question[/caption]
The Good Morning Britain presenter grilled the Chief Secretary to the Treasury[/caption]
She described how Elaine Yates, 75, applied for pension credit months ago but hadn’t heard anything back.
Susanna said: “Surprise, surprise. Within half an hour of her interview here on this programme, the DWP rang her up and said she was eligible.”
The broadcaster revealed how the show was inundated with messages from other pensioners.
She asked: “How many people eligible for pension credit are waiting to hear if they’re going to get their money?”
The Labour politician, 38, replied: “Erm, I don’t know the answer to your specific question.
“But you are right to point out that we encouraged pensioners across the country to check whether they’re eligible for pension credit.
“We’ve been funding a national campaign in getting information out to people to help them to do that.”
Susanna intervened: “But you don’t know how successful that’s been People finding out and getting their money is what’s important.”
He responded: “Yes, I agree. But you have to apply for that and there are services in place to help people.”
The Winter Fuel Payment used to be available to all pensioners, but earlier this year, the government announced that only those claiming Pension Credit and other means-tested benefits would be eligible from winter 2024/25.
Pension Credit is a benefit for older people on low incomes that tops up their weekly income to £218.15 if they’re single or £332.95 as a couple.
It comes after Mr Jones said he would be happy to work again with Tulip Siddiq, who resigned as a minister yesterday, if the Prime Minister brought her back into Government.
He also rejected the idea that Ms Siddiq’s appointment showed a lack of judgment from Sir Keir Starmer.
“I don’t think there’s a question about the Prime Minister’s judgment,” Mr Jones told Times Radio.
Starmer has spent precious political capital on row
By JACK ELSOM, Chief Political Correspondent
FOR days it has been clear how the scandal engulfing Tulip Siddiq would end – we’ve all seen this movie before.
The drip-drip of revelations involving her links to the former despotic Bangladeshi regime – led by her own aunt – were constant.
And it was an added farce that the minister responsible for tackling corruption was herself dragged into a corruption saga.
Despite trying to make the episode go away by launching an investigation, the Westminster convention was that she was toast.
It is a fact Ms Siddiq has now accepted, admitting she was becoming a “distraction” to the Prime Minister.
But the whole row does raise questions about Sir Keir Starmer’s judgement.
Did he fail to act sooner because he was keen to protect a close friend?
Think of the ruthlessness and speed at which he dispatched Louise Haigh from Government, and compare that to how he faced the media insisting Ms Siddiq had done nothing wrong.
It has expended precious political capital that Sir Keir is currently lacking.
He said: “The independent process has been followed. It concluded, and Tulip took the decision to step down from Government.”
Mr Jones said he would be “very happy” to work with Ms Siddiq again in the future if the Prime Minister brought her back into Government.
“Tulip did a great job as City minister. She hasn’t broken any rules.
“The Prime Minister was clear in his letter to Tulip that he would like to see a circumstance in which she can come back into government in the future.”
“The Prime Minister appoints and sacks ministers. I’d be very happy to work with Tulip in the future if that opportunity came up,” he told Sky News.
Labour minister Tulip Siddiq dramatically quit yesterday[/caption]
Rachel Reeves poses with members of her Treasury team, including Siddiq[/caption]
