To Holyrood, where Scotland’s politicians have overwhelmingly voted to oppose the Labour government’s winter fuel payment cuts. 99 MSPs voted in favour of the motion tabled by SNP First Minister John Swinney, which called on the UK government to ‘reverse the introduction of means testing for the winter fuel payment’ – and in a sign of cracks emerging in the party, it transpires that Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has faced a mini-rebellion over the matter. Oh dear.
Of Scottish Labour’s 22 MSPs, only 16 voted on today’s motion. Earlier today, rumours began to circulate that several of Sarwar’s MSPs were expected to break the whip and back the SNP – and it has now come to light that two did. Alex Rowley and Richard Leonard voted with the Nats on the issue, while the other six missing MSPs – Monica Lennon, Carol Mochan, Pauline McNeill, Rhoda Grant and Katy Clark – were slipped and allowed to miss the vote. By Mr S’s calculations, this is in fact the first time that former Scottish Labour leader Leonard has rebelled against his current party leader. How very curious.
In an rare moment of unity in Holyrood, the motion was backed by all Scottish parties – including the Scottish Conservatives, despite the party leader Russell Findlay’s amendment (in which he called for the SNP government to reverse its own means testing of the devolved payment) being defeated. And in a double blow for Sarwar, Scottish Labour’s amendment – which called on the Nats to use £41 million of Westminster funding to help the elderly – was also voted down. Labour’s poor fortunes only seem to continue…
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