Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay has called on all Holyrood political leaders to sign a joint letter from Unite the union calling for the UK Labour government to reverse its decision to end the winter fuel payment for millions of pensioners.
Findlay has today (Thursday) signed the letter and said Anas Sarwar must do the same for the sake of Scotland’s pensioners.
The Scottish Conservative leader said Sarwar must stand up to Keir Starmer or he risks looking “very weak.”
On Wednesday, Unite asked all political party leaders in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to sign a joint letter calling on the Labour UK government to reinstate the winter fuel payment in next week’s budget.
The letter says the winter fuel payment cut “transcends political divisions” and “pensioners in Scotland will suffer this winter because of the decision.”
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: “Labour's decision to axe the winter fuel payment will cause suffering for millions of elderly people across the UK, forcing many to choose between heating and eating.
“I’m urging every Holyrood political leader to do the decent thing and join me in signing this letter calling for Labour to reinstate these lifeline payments.
“Anas Sarwar should stand up for Scotland’s pensioners by exerting whatever influence he has on Sir Keir Starmer to reverse this reckless decision, which was imposed with zero consultation.
“Snatching cash from the elderly is surely not the 'change' that Labour promised.
“I know where I stand, but Anas Sarwar has a simple question to answer - is he on the side of Keir Starmer or Scotland’s pensioners?”