MPs stepping down ‘should not get a payout’, says Conservative MP – UK politics live | Politics

rewrite this content and keep HTML tags ‘I don’t think people resigning should be getting a payout,’ says Tory MPReacting to the news that payments for MPs who lose their seats or step down at the next general election will be doubled, Conservative MP Bob Seely (Isle of Wight), told TalkTV this morning: I don’t think people resigning should be getting a payout. But this is an independent body, I’m afraid to say we don’t get to vote on it unless somebody tells us that we do, and frankly, I am more concerned about dealing with my constituency casework. So I’m not particularly happy about this either because it just shows us in a bad light and despite the fact it’s an independent body, everyone is going to blame us for it. It really winds me up, frankly. More than 70 MPs have announced they will not stand again at the next general election.Those standing down include former Tory cabinet ministers Dominic Raab, Matt Hancock and Sajid Javid, and the current defence secretary Ben Wallace.Labour former ministers Harriet Harman and Margaret Hodge have also said they plan to step down, as has the SNP’s former leader at Westminster Ian Blackford.Updated at 10.44 BSTKey eventsCity Hall is to consider making staff, volunteers and patients at hospices exempt from paying the London Ulez charge, Sadiq Khan’s transport deputy has said.The Labour MP for Dagenham and Rainham, Jon Cruddas, made the request in a letter to Seb Dance, London’s deputy mayor of transport, the BBC reports. Dance said the request would be “taken on board”.The oldest, most polluting vehicles have to pay a daily charge to drive in London’s ultra-low emission zone – £12.50 for cars and more for older coaches and lorries – although the majority of cars are exempt.The charge is due to be extended to all London boroughs on 29 August.’I don’t think people resigning should be getting a payout,’ says Tory MPReacting to the news that payments for MPs who lose their seats or step down at the next general election will be doubled, Conservative MP Bob Seely (Isle of Wight), told TalkTV this morning: I don’t think people resigning should be getting a payout. But this is an independent body, I’m afraid to say we don’t get to vote on it unless somebody tells us that we do, and frankly, I am more concerned about dealing with my constituency casework. So I’m not particularly happy about this either because it just shows us in a bad light and despite the fact it’s an independent body, everyone is going to blame us for it. It really winds me up, frankly. More than 70 MPs have announced they will not stand again at the next general election.Those standing down include former Tory cabinet ministers Dominic Raab, Matt Hancock and Sajid Javid, and the current defence secretary Ben Wallace.Labour former ministers Harriet Harman and Margaret Hodge have also said they plan to step down, as has the SNP’s former leader at Westminster Ian Blackford.Updated at 10.44 BSTCitizens Advice has warned this winter could be “as bad, if not worse, than last” with households struggling to pay their energy bills.Responding to the latest Ofgem price cap, head of energy policy Gillian Cooper said: Well before the winter hits, we’re already helping record numbers of people behind on their energy bills. Today’s price cap announcement will do little to change that. Typical households are still facing sky-high energy costs, now that support schemes have come to an end. Increasing numbers of people we help are in a negative budget, where they simply don’t have enough money coming in to cover even just their essential bills. The next few months will push households like these over the edge. Our data suggests it will be as bad, if not worse, than last winter. Government must step in quickly with more targeted support for the households who need it most. Government inaction will see people struggling to afford energy bills, say Lib DemsThe Liberal Democrats have warned that government inaction could see households struggling to afford their energy bills this winter.The party’s climate and energy spokesperson Wera Hobhouse said: It’s a relief that global energy prices are starting to come down, but the Conservative government’s inaction means far too many families and pensioners will be struggling to heat their homes again this winter. Bills will still be almost double what they were two years ago, and many families will actually be paying more than they did last winter. That is a shocking failure on the part of Conservative ministers. Rishi Sunak must finally introduce a proper windfall tax on the record profits of the oil and gas giants to give families and pensioners the support they desperately need, including doubling the Winter Fuel Allowance and Warm Home Discount this Winter. The government offered all bill payers the £400 one-off payment through its energy bills support scheme last winter.For the winter ahead the government will offer targeted support, including a £900 payment for those on means-tested benefits, £300 for pensioners and an extra £150 for disabled people.Updated at 10.22 BSTFinancial support to double for MPs who lose seats in UK electionDeparting MPs will get bigger payouts for winding up their offices, with the sum doubling to £17,300, the UK parliament expenses watchdog has announced.MPs who lose their seats or choose not to stand will be paid for four months after leaving office to enable them to wind up their casework and other duties – doubling from the current period of eight weeks.The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) made the change after reviewing arrangements for payments following the next election.MPs who lose their seats also qualify for “loss of office payments” – at twice the rate of statutory redundancy pay – and the winding-up payments come on top of this.You can read the full story by the Guardian’s Whitehall editor, Rowena Mason, here:Updated at 10.04 BSTOpposition parties have said more help needs to be targeted towards people struggling financially, amid warnings that households will feel little relief from high energy costs this winter.Ed Miliband, the shadow energy and net zero secretary, said Labour would toughen the windfall tax on North Sea oil and gas companies to pay for further financial support in the cost of living crisis.“These figures demonstrate the scandalous Tory cost of living crisis is still raging for millions of people,” he said.These figures demonstrate the scandalous Tory cost of living crisis is still raging for millions of people. 13 years of failed Tory energy policy has left Britain as the most exposed economy in Western Europe to the effects of Putin’s war. https://t.co/PpcrWHo8rt— Ed Miliband (@Ed_Miliband) August 25, 2023 The Green party, meanwhile, has called for a government-backed home insulation programme.Green party co-leader, Adrian Ramsay, said: The new price cap underlines the urgent need for a government-backed home insulation programme targeted, in the first instance, at those most at risk of fuel poverty. The government should be announcing today funding and support for local councils to start a mass programme of cost-saving home insulation. With the right funding and determination, such a scheme could start to help people from this winter. Even with a lower price cap, bills are still higher than before the energy crisis and are likely to remain high for the future. Updated at 09.59 BSTIn other developments, Ofgem has cut the price cap on energy bills to £1,923 after wholesale energy prices fell further.The energy regulator said it was cutting the price that a supplier could charge for gas from 6.9p per kilowatt hour (kWh) today to 6.89p from 1 October. The price of electricity will fall from 30.1p per kWh to 27.35p, Ofgem said.This means that the average household bill will end up at around £1,923 per year, according to the regulator’s calculations. Customers on prepayment meters will pay £1,949 on average.Energy is regulated separately in Northern Ireland, where bills are slightly lower.According to the Resolution Foundation, over one-in-three households across England – 7.2m in total – will face higher bills this winter than last.While the price per unit of energy is falling, this will be offset by a rise in the daily standing charge and the end of the £400 universal payments, the Foundation said.The energy cost crisis has fuelled calls from across Westminster and the energy industry for government ministers to do more to help vulnerable households pay their energy bills by setting…

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