JOHN Nicolson earned a round of applause after hitting out at “chicken” Scottish Labour MPs over the Winter Fuel Payment cut.
The former SNP MP was speaking on the BBC’s Debate Night programme on Wednesday evening, which was hosted in Dundee.
An audience member asked why there was no allowance made for the elderly in the north of Scotland, where winter is colder and there is more need to use heating.
Nicolson (below) responded: “Why didn't Scottish Labor MPs defend Scottish pensioners instead of voting for this?”
“Or I think one of them did the very brave thing and abstained.
“I mean, they were they were chicken. They're scared of their leader, they're scared of losing the whip, and they're as docile and passive as we knew they would be.”
“Why didn’t Scottish Labour MPs defend Scottish pensioners?” “The winter fuel payment is actually now devolved”@MrJohnNicolson and @colinsmythmsp clash over Winter Fuel payment cuts after an audience member challenges the decision #bbcdn pic.twitter.com/hk4EidLQr0
— BBC Debate Night (@bbcdebatenight) October 2, 2024
It comes after Labour MPs voted to scrap the Winter Fuel Payment for those not in receipt of benefits, with only two Scottish Labour MPs – Euan Stainbank and Kenneth Stevenson – abstaining from the vote.
Also on the panel was Scottish Labour MSP Colin Smyth, who refuted Nicolson by arguing that the Winter Fuel Payment was now devolved to Scotland.
“I think one of the points to make is that the Winter Fuel Payment is actually now devolved to the Scottish Government,” Smyth said.
“We have the opportunity, frankly, to do something different with those powers.”
Nicolson responded: “It all depends on Westminster money. The Scottish Government is bound by Westminster’s decisions to the funding formula.”
