Gemma Collins is eyeing a career in politics after despairing over the state of the UK’s economy, saying it needs someone “straight talking” like her to “get on”.
The 43-year-old former TOWIE star - who refers to herself as “The GC” - says she is “disgusted” by the current government’s plans to limit winter fuel allowance to the poorest pensioners.
They are set to vote on secondary legislation next week that will introduce means-testing of the benefit after pressure from opposition parties and Labour backbenchers.
About half a dozen Labour MPs have already publicly criticised the plan and demanded a rethink amid fears that the move, worth up to £300 for each recipient, could leave thousands of pensioners struggling to pay their household bills this winter.
According to Collins however, it shouldn’t even be up for discussion.
Speaking to the Standard, she said: “We’re constantly getting these short sharp shocks. They arealready going on about the heating this year and the water and all of that.
“It is so upsetting and really affects me when I hear the OAPs are sitting there freezing and having washes in the sink because they have gone through life, they’ve fought in wars – they’ve gone to war for this country, and they can’t even have their heating on. How is that right?
“It is absolutely disgusting and move over Keir Starmer because I would have this country sorted within literally five days.”
Asked if she could see herself in Number 10, she did not hesitate to put her name into the ring, replying: “Absolutely, why not! I was watching a documentary last night on Volodymyr Zelensky and he was an actor and then he went into being president, so when I watched it, I thought there’s absolutely some hope for me there!
“[The UK] just needs someone very straight talking to get on and as I said, when you watch the news with the old girls and old men shaking, there’s people fought for our country, it’s not good.”
Collins currently has money at the forefront of her mind as she is the new face of national pension engagement drive Pay Your Pension Some Attention.
According to new research, over half (57 percent) of Brits prioritise slowing down physical signs of ageing, whilst only a fifth (23 percent) have organised their finances for later life.
The campaign looks to encourage people to act now and think about their retirement plans rather than putting it off until it’s too late.
While the Essex native admits she is “culprit number one” when it comes to spending her money instead of saving, she says she understands the importance of getting your pension in order, especially if she hopes to emulate her idol Dame Joan Collins and spend her retirement “going nice places and lunching” when the times comes.
She said: “So many people, you know, myself included - culprit number one - waste so much money on things that are just not worth wasting money on. Things like the odd bit of Botox, extra products, you know, if I go down the cleaning aisle I’m picking up 25 Zofloras, not one [and] I could be putting that money into my pension to insure that when I get older – when that fateful day comes – that I’m going to have a comfortable retirement.
“I’m not going to want to go backwards in life, I’m gonna want to achieve the fruits of my labour and when it got put to me the amount of people my age 35 to 55 and me included I’m 43, we are physically aging and everyone’s taking steps to prevent aging, but not many people have organised the most important thing which is their finances for later life.
“Fronting Pay Attention to Your Pension to the nation is something I’m really proud of because everyone’s got fears of fine lines and wrinkles and all the rest of it, but if they are not going to be able to enjoy a cup of tea and have a holiday in retirement it’s going to be a very sad way to retire.”
