A trade union has been left infuriated after Sir Keir Starmer’s allies rescheduled a vote on the winter fuel payment cut on the day of the funeral of a former senior member.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has teamed up with Unite to push a motion at the Labour conference opposing the removal of the payments from 10 million pensioners.
A vote on the motion – which, if it passes, would be an embarrassment for Downing Street – had been set to take place on Monday, when Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, was speaking.
But Sir Keir’s allies have pushed for it to happen on Wednesday instead – the last day of the conference, when he will be abroad for the UN General Assembly.
The move triggered fury among leading CWU figures because many will have left the conference to attend the funeral of Andy Kerr, the former assistant general secretary who also previously served on Labour’s National Executive Committee.
The Telegraph understands that an estimated 90 per cent of CWU figures at the conference will have departed to attend the funeral when the vote is expected to take place.
The move has led to accusations of underhand tactics from Sir Keir’s supporters. Labourleaders had long been told about CWU figures’ need to leave for the funeral. “It is outrageous”, one union source told The Telegraph.
The union is now expected to return to the conference next year with plans to change party rules to give members more power over the timing of such votes. The date change means that Dave Ward, the CWU general secretary, cannot give a speech on Wednesday outlining his arguments against the winter fuel payment cut.
The payments of up to £300 had been given to all pensioners, benefiting more than 11 million. But Labour has now cut it for all but those on pension credit – 1.5 million people.
The absence of senior CWU figures in the conference debate ahead of the vote will mean more junior figures in the union with little podium-speaking experience must step in instead.
Number 10 insiders still expect to lose the vote, given that around half of the conference delegates are linked to trade unions, many of which are against the winter fuel payment cut.
But that is not expected to change the policy direction, with the vote not binding on the Government’s approach.
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