THE SNP have hit out at a “misleading” letter sent out by Scottish Labour to potential voters.
The letter, which a Dundee resident said was received just yesterday, is from Anas Sarwar and claims the SNP “didn’t stand up for Scottish pensioners”.
SNP MSP David Torrance said it was “seriously misleading” from Scottish Labour.
In one of its first moves following the General Election, the Labour UK Government announced the Winter Fuel Payment would now only be given to pensioners on certain benefits.
With the benefit due to be devolved this year, the Scottish Government originally said it had no choice but to follow suit in Scotland given it sparked a £147 million cut to the block grant.
Scottish Labour initially appeared to support the cut – with its MP’s voting for it at Westminster and its MSPs refusing to call for the UK Government to restore the funding.
After a series of poor council by-election results, Anas Sarwar then performed a screeching U-turn – pledging to reintroduce a universal payment that would later be tapered according to wealth if they came to power at Holyrood in 2026.
Scottish ministers, ahead of the recent Budget announcement, then confirmed plans to use some funding to restore a universal Winter Fuel Payment for older Scots in 2025-26, with pensioners north of the Border to receive at least £100 next winter, though some will receive £300.
But Sarwar writes in the letter: “The SNP Government had the chance last week to stand up for Scottish pensioners and deliver a better, fairer deal.
“They refused. Scottish Labour pledged to reinstate the winter fuel payment after the SNP gave away devolved powers and delayed making a decision.
“They said they supported our pledge but failed to back a plan to scrap restrictive rules and reinstate the payment for thousands of pensioners.”
Torrance, the SNP MSP for Kirkcaldy, hit out at the claims made in the letter (above).
"This Labour letter - which makes no mention of the fact that the SNP is reintroducing a universal Winter Fuel Payment - is seriously misleading,” he said.
"For all the 'positions' Labour may have, the facts are clear - their own Scottish MPs shamefully voted to scrap the Winter Fuel Payment before their own MSPs voted against reinstating it when they had the chance to do so.”
Torrance added: "Nobody knows this better than their own supporters - which is why opinion polls published on Monday show that Scottish Labour are losing a substantial level of their support from the over-55s to the SNP.
"If Scottish Labour is serious about reintroducing Winter Fuel Payment's for Scotland's Pensioners, it should do the right thing and back our budget."
Scottish Labour have been approached for further comment.
