Rachel Reeves has come under fire for forcing the PM into an embarrassing U-turn (Image: PA )
Sir Keir Starmer is reeling from having to perform an "embarrassing" U-turn over winter fuel payments to pensioners, and now questions are mounting over the future of Rachel Reeves as Chancellor. Stripping away the payments to millions of elderly people last winter was one of Ms Reeves' flagship policies during her Autumn Budget to fill a supposed "￡22 billion black hole" she claimed was left by the Tories in the nation's finances.
Her decision, along with the ongoing illegal immigration crisis, has been blamed for Labour's decimation in local council elections this month by Reform UK, who also took a parliamentary seat from disgraced MP Mike Amesbury. Ms Reeves, who has also faced questions over the validity of some of her employment history claims, had set her stall out as an "Iron Chancellor" with her tough fiscal plans backed by the Prime Minister, who said the nation had to make some "hard decisions".
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But at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Sir Keir was forced to perform a humiliating U-turn and admit Labour was restoring winter fuel payments for a vast number of pensioners by resetting the criteria for the bonus. Now, some are wondering if it could be time for Ms Reeves to go, with one Labour backbencher telling the Telegraph: "It was a serious blunder and her mistake now has embarrassed the Prime Minister."
So do you think it's time for Rachel Reeves to go? Vote in our poll and join the debate in the comments section. Can't see the poll below? Click here
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Another insider told the publication Ms Reeves' "closest advisers" had been telling her to perform the U-turn herself "for months", but that others have been insisting she could not because she needed to protect her brand of being an "Iron Chancellor".
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They added: "I know she’s listening to former MPs who she trusts and they have been telling her to U-turn.
"I just think the momentum has been building massively from within the party for a long time and No 10 have been making it clear for many weeks that they think it is a mistake."
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Labour backbenchers are among those to ask how quickly the Government can implement the turnaround. Officials are unable to say how many more pensioners would be eligible or if the policy will be altered in time for next winter.
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Sir Keir Starmer has come under fire for his U-turn on winter fuel payments (Image: PA )
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The decision to means-test the previously universal payment was one of the first announcements by the Chancellor after Labour's landslide election victory last year, and has been widely blamed for the party's collapse in support.
It was an issue Labour campaigners were challenged about on the doorsteps during May's elections, which saw the party lose councillors and the Runcorn and Helsby parliamentary by-election.
Mrs Badenoch has written to the Prime Minister demanding to know whether the reversal would "come into effect in time for payments to be made for this winter", given a budget could be "six months away".