Union members stage demo ahead of Labour winter fuel allowance debate

Union delegates at Labour’s annual conference have staged a noisy protest ahead of a debate on the Government’s controversial decision to cut winter fuel allowance.

Members of Unite gathered outside the conference hall, shouting: “Save the winter fuel”, alongside the union’s general secretary Sharon Graham.

She will address the conference later to urge the Government to reverse its decision.

Wearing a t-shirt bearing the slogan “Save The Winter Fuel”, she said the Prime Minister had made a “mis-step” on cutting the allowance, and should reverse it.

“The Government is picking the pockets of pensioners and people are furious,” she said.

“We will continue to campaign to have the allowance put back into pensioners’ pockets.”

Debate

Unite’s motion calling for the cut to be reversed was due to be debated earlier this week, but was changed to today, the final day of the conference.

Ms Graham said moving the debate was “disrespectful”, adding she was confident of getting support from delegates for the motion, which is being backed by the Communication Workers Union.

CWU officials will not be at the conference on Wednesday as they are attending the funeral in Scotland of the union’s former assistant general secretary Andy Kerr, who used to be on Labour’s national executive.