Health Secretary Wes Streeting ‘not remotely happy’ about cutting

The health secretary has said he is “not remotely happy” about having to vote to cut the winter fuel allowance for some pensioners.

Wes Streeting said he has apologised to his elderly constituents who it will affect, but said cutting the payment from those not on pension credit is essential to balance public finances.

He told Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: “I think it is a tough choice, and we’ve had plenty of political criticism for it, I think, which demonstrates the political pain of it.

“I’m not remotely happy about it, and I’m not remotely happy about having to say to some of my constituents, ‘I’m sorry that I’m going into work this week to vote for something that will take money away from you’.”

Follow live politics updates

MPs will vote on Tuesday on whether to cut the winter fuel payment after the government announced its intention at the end of July.

Mr Streeting echoed Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s sentiment that it was a “tough choice” but is needed to get the economy back on a stable footing.

The health secretary added: “I think there are lots of people out there, actually, particularly pensioners, who’ve seen governments come and go, and have seen what happens when politicians duck the difficult decisions, who, even if they don’t agree with this choice, I hope will take some reassurance that this isn’t a government that ducks difficult decisions or pretends you can spend money you don’t have, or pretends that the stability of the public finances is not an essential ingredient for the future growth, prosperity and success of our country.”

Read more:
Private sector will be used to cut NHS waiting list
Sign ups for pension credit double

Labour MPs will be told they must vote with the government on Tuesday to cut the payment, however several, particularly on…