ANAS Sarwar’s U-turn over the Winter Fuel Payment is a “step forward”, First Minister John Swinney has said.
The First Minister also told journalists in Edinburgh there are “steps that could be taken” in Scotland to help pensioners who are set to struggle on the back of losing the benefit, hinting that further support is likely to be announced in a speech scheduled at Holyrood on Thursday.
Scottish Labour leader Sarwar pledged last week his party would bring back a universal Winter Fuel Payment for pensioners - which would later be tapered according to income – if they came to power in 2026.
He later said he would be forcing a vote in Holyrood next week to try and bring the payment back, despite his MPs and MSPs backing Westminster’s cut to the benefit in the past two months.
Sarwar has been accused of “gaslighting a nation” with his U-turn, but Swinney praised the Scottish Labour leader for coming to the realisation the Labour UK Government have caused a “real, big problem” for Scotland in deciding to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment.
Though the First Minister did not confirm if the Scottish Government would be bringing back the payment, he strongly hinted further support would be laid out in Parliament this week.
Asked for his thoughts on Sarwar’s change of stance, Swinney told reporters in Edinburgh: “There’s a lot been happening on winter fuel payments over the summer and in the spirit of trying to find common ground I’m grateful for the fact Anas Sarwar has now realised the Labour Government in London is a real, big problem for us with the decisions they have taken on winter fuel.
“Obviously there are possible steps that could be taken within Scotland to ameliorate the difficulties that are faced by pensioners living in a colder climate without winter fuel payments and that will be the subject of a statement to Parliament tomorrow.”
Swinney’s diplomatic response to Sarwar’s switch of position on winter fuel came on the back of a speech at the Royal Society of Edinburgh which focused on his plea for collaboration and consensus to tackle “complex and pervasive” problems Scotland faces ahead of the Budget speech next week.
Swinney’s remarks stand in stark contrast to some of his Government colleagues, with Scottish Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville saying the "hypocrisy" of Scottish Labour was "staggering" earlier this week.
SNP MP Pete Wishart also branded Scottish Labour's U-turn "beyond bizarre" and said: "'Scottish' Labour are now gaslighting a nation."
Sarwar told The National on Tuesday while campaigning in Clydebank that he was not “playing politics” with his latest move and suggested he was not confusing voters.
Asked if he believed he wasn’t playing politics, he said: “No I’m saying we’re going to guarantee that everyone who needs support in Scotland gets it.”
In one of their first key moves as the UK Government, Labour announced the Winter Fuel Payment would now only be made available to those on pension credit or other eligible benefits from this year.
A ministerial statement entitled Supporting Older People with Increasing Energy Costs is scheduled in the Holyrood chamber on Thursday for after 2.15pm.
