Anger as Stourbridge MP missed winter fuel payment vote

Cat Eccles, the recently-elected Labour MP for Stourbridge, was among 52 MPs not to have a vote recorded on Tuesday (September 10) as MPs voted on whether the axe the Winter Fuel Allowance for pensioners not in receipt of Pension Credit.

The Conservative Party’s motion to annul the Government’s axing of the payment was defeated by 348 votes to 228, a majority of 120.

The Dudley borough’s new Labour MPs Alex Ballinger (Halesowen) and Sonia Kumar (Dudley) voted with their party to scrap the payment.

Cat, however, who ousted Tory Suzanne Webb from her Stourbridge seat in the July General Election, was not in Westminster for the vote – having been granted permission to be away from Parliament to attend an event in her constituency.

She later posted on Facebook that she had attended the launch of the new Stourbridge Business Development District (BID) at Nickolls & Perks wine shop in the town.

Members of the public took to the social media platform to question why the MP had skipped a nationally important vote in favour of a local event.

Among the most scathing of critics was former Stourbridge Conservative MP Suzanne Webb.

She said: “Late last night our MP admitted that instead of supporting 16,396 pensioners over the Winter Fuel Payment they missed the vote to go to a drink’s reception at a wine shop here in the constituency to celebrate the launch of a business prospectus. They got involved in the Business Improvement District as a councillor. Not an MP. They put their role as a councillor over that of being an MP and the voice of 16,396 pensioners.

“I am not knocking the idea of a Business Improvement District but to choose a drinks reception in their role as councillor and deliberately not turn up in parliament as our MP to support 16,396 pensioners is a serious error of judgement. Words fail me.

“The Winter Fuel Payment is a lifeline for thousands of residents across the constituency and this action by the current Labour MP further demonstrates what a cruel and callous decision it has been by the Labour government to axe the payment.”

Responding to the criticism, Cat, who is also a local councillor for Wollaston and Stourbridge Town, told the News: “I wasn't able to vote yesterday because I had been given permission before recess to leave Westminster and return to Stourbridge.

“My focus in Stourbridge since the recess period has been to hold drop-in events for pensioners to express their concerns about the loss of Winter Fuel Payments, and to ensure they are claiming other benefits of which they are entitled to. I have ensured that many of the people who attended have been aware that they are entitled to benefits which more than make up for the loss of the Winter Fuel Payment.

“Given the success of these events, I will be holding more and reaching out to other stakeholders in the community to encourage them to hold similar events. It is my priority that pensioners will not be left out of pocket and are claiming the full amounts of relief they can.

“The event I attended in the constituency was a very important one. The launch of the Stourbridge Business Improvement District.

“I sat on the steering group for the BID from its inception 18 months ago and worked with local businesses and Dudley Council to bring it to fruition. Time and again people raise concerns about our town and I'm excited about what's to come.

“The BID will bring businesses together and raise funds to promote Stourbridge and make improvements outside of local authority responsibility. With over 300 BIDs up and down the country helping towns thrive, this is a fantastic opportunity.

“Along with the planned regeneration and Active Travel Plan to improve access and public realm the future is bright for Stourbridge. I'm glad to have played my part in this and celebrate the launch at Nickolls & Perks with some of the local businesses. Well done to the brilliant steering group who've made this happen.”