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'Snake oil salesman' Nigel Farage 'can't be trusted on pledge to restore winter fuel', Deputy PM Angela Rayner tells LBC
25 May 2025, 11:54 | Updated: 25 May 2025, 23:19
Nigel Farage is a "snake oil salesman" and shouldn't be trusted on his promise to restore the winter fuel payment, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has told LBC.
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The Reform UK leader will allegedly vow to commit to restoring the winter fuel payment to all pensioners and to scrapping the two-child benefit cap, reports that emerged today have suggested.
He is expected to go big on benefits in a speech next week in an attempt to win over left-wing voters, according to the Sunday Telegraph.
But speaking to LBC's Ben Kentish, Ms Rayner said his promise is "not real" as he hasn't "said where the money is coming from".
"Nigel Farage says a lot of things but the reality is, like for my employment rights bill that gave people secure work, banned zero hour contracts, he didn't vote for it, he voted against it.
Read more: Rayner 'called for child benefits to be clawed back from middle-class families'
"He voted against working people. So he can say he's going to give jam tomorrow. But with all things Nigel Farage, snake oil salesman, it's not real and he's not said where the money's coming from and therefore I wouldn't believe a word he says on it," she told LBC.
The Labour Deputy PM added that if here's any government that's going to do something on this and eradicate child poverty, it's her one.
"We're determined to do that through our task force by looking at child poverty in the round and as we grow the economy using that money to protect young people and give them the best opportunities in life, which is one of our key plans for change," she said.
It comes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said this week that he wants to ensure "more pensioners are eligible for winter fuel payments" going forwards in what appeared to be a major policy U-turn.
More than nine million pensioners lost payments worth up to £300 after Chancellor Rachel Reeves restricted eligibility for the pension top-up last year. Other income-related benefits were also limited last year in a bid to save £1.4bn.
The move was not included in Labour's manifesto pledges, unlike its commitment not to raise taxes further, or return to austerity for public finances.
Mr Farage has also vowed to lift another unpopular Labour policy - the two child benefit cap.
But Ms Rayner has argued that scrapping the cap is not a "silver bullet" for alleviating child poverty.
She told LBC: "The two-child benefit cap is one element, but it's also about people having real secure wages. It's about bringing down housing costs, it's about utility bills that have gone up.
"In the round, there is a number of measures that we need to look at and within our official envelope to challenge and to bring down child poverty.
"I want to alleviate children out of poverty. It's one of the main things I came into government for. I grew up in a workless household. Three siblings. And child benefit didn't save us from the poverty, but there was a council house that supported us. Being in work is one of the main drivers of being able to contribute and support the family.
"We're looking at all of the issues that are creating child poverty [on the Child Poverty Taskforce] and it's not a silver bullet, Ben. That's what I'm saying to people. The reality is this is not a silver bullet."
The Government's action plan to tackle child poverty - a document likely to contain proposals to scrap the two-child benefit cap - has been delayed until the autumn.
The plan is likely to be aligned with the budget so it can be fully costed.It's been reported Sir Keir has privately backed plans to scrap the cap, and made it clear he wants to drive down child poverty.
The Government is facing pressure from its own backbenchers to eliminate the cap, all while the threat of a rebellion over a wide-ranging package of welfare reforms looms.
