Boos ring out at Labour party conference amid union fury over delay to key winter fuel vote
by Danielle de Wolfe · LBCBy Danielle de Wolfe
Boos rung out across the hall at the Labour Party's conference on Monday after a delay to the vote on winter fuel payments was announced.
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Unions had hit out at the move by the party over cuts to the payments to millions of pensioners.
Those attending the event in Liverpool were told at the last minute that the vote would be delayed from Monday until Wednesday, the final morning of the conference.
The announcement saw frustrated union members letting out a chorus of boos across the conference hall.
It comes as Rachel Reeves defended the cuts this morning during an interview with LBC, with the Chancellor swerving questions about the timing of the debate.
Watch Again: Nick Ferrari is joined by Chancellor Rachel Reeves | 23/09/24
Asked about the shift in timing by Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, the Chancellor was asked whether Labour was "running scared of this vote taking place prior to the Prime Minister's address".
She told Nick: "I don't know the situation about when votes take place, but if delegates want to vote on this, they will get a vote on this.
"I don't know the timing of the vote, but we've already had a vote in Parliament where it was overwhelmingly passed.
One union member branded Sir Keir Starmer's party "tin-eared" over delays to the vital vote.
It comes on the second day of the party conference in Liverpool, which is running from Sunday 22 to Wednesday 25 September, with
The vote was set to coincide with a protest outside the party conference centre on Monday staged by a number of retired Unite members.
The protest formed part of the union's ongoing campaign against impending cuts to winter fuel allowance payments.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves plans to end the universal payment for millions after laying out measures to tackle a £22 billion "black hole" in public finances.
The controversial move will see 10 million people stripped of their fuel allowance this winter.
It comes as Sir Keir Starmer promised to protect public services from future austerity cuts as he made a bid to move on from fury over winter fuel payments cuts and an ongoing row over donations.
Diane Abbott has warned that a new 'austerity drive' will increase racism faced by ethnic minorities 'bearing the brunt of the Government’s attacks'.
Speaking at a fringe meeting at the Labour Party conference on Sunday, the veteran Labour MP warned that the Government’s promise that “things will only get worse” presented a “grim outlook” for ethnic minorities in the UK.
“We are in a very difficult period," she said. "There is both a renewed war drive and a renewed austerity drive.