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No option but to cut winter fuel help – Jo Stevens

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Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens has said “we have been left with no alternative” when challenged about Labour’s policy to cut the winter fuel allowance.

The Cardiff Central MP was speaking from Liverpool at the start of the Labour Party Conference.

“We have inherited a dire economic situation from the Conservative government,” Stevens told the BBC’s Politics Wales.

“The first line of our manifesto on which we were elected – with an enormous mandate, including in Wales – where we won 27 of the 32 seats – was to bring economic stability to the country.”

“We can only fix the foundations if we sort that out and we have to make some tough decisions early on,” she said.

Stevens added that there were eligible pensioners in Wales who were not claiming pension credit, which was worth on average over £3,900 a year.

Cutting winter fuel payments is expected to affect 400,000 homes in Wales
© Getty Images

 

“MPs across Wales are working to make sure, along with colleagues in councils and Welsh government, that people who are eligible apply for it.”

According to UK government estimates, the decision by Sir Keir Starmer’s new Labour government to cut winter fuel payments for most pensioners is expected to affect 400,000 homes in Wales.

The change will mean that only those pensioners receiving pension credits or other benefits will be eligible for the payment, which is worth up to £300.

Stevens also responded to comments by First Minister Eluned Morgan who likened her influence on Starmer to her influence on Donald Trump.

Speaking to Welsh programme Y Byd yn ei Le on S4C, Morgan said: “Let us not overstate my influence” on the UK Labour leader and prime minister.

Asked why she had not called Starmer to ask for a rethink on winter fuel payment cuts, she said: “I could call on Donald Trump to do things too.”

First Minister Eluned Morgan said she had no more influence on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer than she did on Donald Trump
© PA Media

 

Stevens dismissed any suggestion that this showed little respect between the two governments.

“If you just look at what’s happened in the last 12 weeks, the relationship between UK government and Welsh government has completely transformed,” Stevens insisted.

“We’ve made a number of announcements around north Wales rail for example, where we’re going to be increasing the number of trains by 50%.

“I’ve worked closely with Welsh government in relation to Tata and the better deal that as a UK government we have achieved for the Tata workforce.

“And the announcement I made in July, within weeks of coming into office, about £13.5m for a transition board to help workers affected by the transition in Port Talbot and downstream.

“There are lots of areas where we’re working together.”

Analysis by political reporter Teleri Glyn Jones

Welsh Labour will have plenty to discuss as they congregate in Liverpool at their first UK Labour conference since a landslide victory at the general election.

After promising a reset to the relationship between the UK and Welsh governments under the Labour banner, First Minister Eluned Morgan raised eyebrows this week by saying she had no more influence on Sir Keir Starmer than she did on Donald Trump.

But this week is a chance to change that.

With other parties like Reform and Plaid Cymru fielding a real challenge to Labour’s century-long dominance of Wales at the next Senedd election in 2026, Morgan will be using the party conference to impress upon her Westminster colleagues the need for her to deliver.

Waiting lists are at a record high and public services in Wales, like social care, transport and schools, need investment.

Can she convince the prime minister that he has as much to lose as she does if Labour falls at the next political hurdle?

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Fuel price hike: Gov Makinde announces N10,000 transport support for workers

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The governor of Oyo state, Seyi Makinde, has approved a N10,000 transportation allowance as a palliative for the state workforce to cushion the effects of the increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, otherwise known as petrol.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Oyo State chapter, Kayode Martins, in a statement released on Monday, March 23, disclosed that the governor has granted the request of the union on the issue of transportation allowance.

The statement read

“Following the intervention and formal request made by the State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) earlier this morning, the state government has approved a N10,000 transportation allowance for all workers in the state.

The newly approved allowance is set to take effect from April 2026, providing much-needed relief to workers grappling with rising transportation costs amid current economic challenges.

This development comes as a direct response to sustained advocacy by the state NLC, aimed at cushioning the impact of increased living expenses on the workforce.

Further details on implementation are expected to be communicated by the relevant government authorities in due course.”

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Former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation bags 72years imprisonment for diverting N868.46 million security funds

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Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, March 23, convicted and sentenced Chukwunyere Nwabuoku, former acting Accountant-General of the Federation (AGoF), to a 72-year jail term without an option of fine.

DailyTrust reports that in the judgment delivered, Justice Omotosho held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had been able to prove the nine-count money laundering charge beyond reasonable doubt.

According to the judge, the defendant is hereby convicted as charged.

Justice Omotosho convicted Nwabuoku in all the nine counts and sentenced him to eight years imprisonment in each of the counts, making 72 years.

The judge, however, ordered that the counts shall run concurrently.

Justice Omotosho, who described Nwabuoku’s act of diverting funds meant for security and defence while he served as Director of Finance and Account in the Ministry of Defence as “appalling,” commended the EFCC for being detailed in its prosecution.

The judge observed that the evidence of the 9th prosecution witness that Nwabuoku voluntarily refunded part of the siphoned money of over N200 million during investigation was not controverted by the defence.

Nwabuoku served as the Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021. He became acting Accountant General of the Federation in May 2022.

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11 more arrested over Ozoro “r@ping festival”

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The police in Delta state have arrested eleven more suspects over the sexu@l ass@ults recorded during what was described as a “r@ping festival” in Oramudu Quarters in Ozoro last Thursday, March 19.

In a statement released on Saturday, March 21, the spokesperson of the command, SP Bright Edafe, said the CP Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT) was tasked with conducting a detailed investigation into the incident.

Edafe said operatives of CP-SAT conducted a thorough analysis of available video evidence and intelligence, leading to the arrest of eleven additional suspects identified as Samson Atukpodo, Steven ovie, Ugbevo Samson, Afoke Akporobaro, Evidence Oguname, and six others. Edafe mentioned that these latest arrests bring the total number of suspects currently in police custody in connection with the incident to fifteen (15)

“The Command reiterates that preliminary findings indicate that the unfortunate incident was perpetrated by criminal elements who exploited the situation to engage in acts of sexu@l v!olence, which are in no way representative of any legitimate cultural practice.

The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Aina Adesola, condemns these acts in totality and reassures the public that the Command remains resolute in its determination to ensure that all those involved are identified, arrested, and prosecuted in accordance with the law. Members of the public, particularly victims and witnesses, are once again encouraged to come forward with credible information that will aid ongoing investigations. The Command assures that all information provided will be treated with strict confidentiality.”the statement in part reads

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