'Tough choice': Health secretary 'not happy' about cutting winter fuel payments

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'."

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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 the stability of the public finances is not an essential ingredient for the future growth, prosperity and success of our country."

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Labour MPs will be told they must vote with the government on Tuesday to cut the payment, however several, partiularly on the left of the party, have voiced their opposition to the cut.

It is understood they may abstain instead of voting against the government after Sir Keir suspended seven MPs from Labour when they voted against the government shortly after winning the election.

Sir Keir would not confirm or deny if he would do the same this time.

"That will be a matter for the chief whip," he told the BBC.

"We're going into a vote. I'm glad we're having a vote, because I think it's very important for parliament to speak on this.

"But every Labour MP was elected in on the same mandate as I was, which was to deliver the change that we need for the country over the time we've got in office.

"I'm absolutely convinced that we will only deliver that change, I'm absolutely determined we will, if we do the difficult things.

"Now, I know they're unpopular, I know they're difficult. Of course they're tough choices."

In a busy week for the prime minister, following the vote on Tuesday, Sir Keir will head to the US on Friday for his second trip to the White House since becoming PM in July.

Ahead of the meeting with Joe Biden, Sir Keir denied the US was angry at the UK for suspending some arms sale licences to Israel.

"We have been talking to the US beforehand and afterwards," he told the BBC.

"They are very clear that they have got a different legal system and they understand the decision that we have taken."

He said discussions with the president would be focused on a "strategic discussion" about the next few months in Ukraine and the Middle East.