IT’S NOT THE first time that Tower Hamlets Executive Mayor Lutfur Rahman has stepped in to save the people of Tower Hamlets from Government cuts. But it is the first time he has had to save us from Labour Party cuts.
During Rahman’s first term of office, the Tory Government ended the means-tested allowance they were paying to 16-19 year olds who stayed in education. Rahman stepped in and restored it in Tower Hamlets. Labour’s John Biggs ditched the local award, and on his return to the mayoralty Rahman brought it back again.
Many governments have cut funding to higher education and its students. It was Mayor Lutfur Rahman who brought in bursaries to help local students who were not well-off. Again, Biggs cut the bursaries and used the proceeds to swell the Town Hall coffers with spondoolies he could lend out to other councils.
And now Mayor Lutfur Rahman has had to do it again. As Labour’s Rachel Reeves cut winter fuel payments from all pensioners except those who receive pension credit, Rahman stepped forward once more, creating a fund for Tower Hamlets pensioners to claim from if they need help with their fuel costs this winter. Rahman could have said that he did not want to see pensioners choosing between eating and heating, but he was probably too busy sighing.
Pensioners will be able to claim £175 from the Council in a means-tested award. The Council is also having a drive to help pensioners who qualify to apply for pension credits.
●In a bizarre twist, Labour Councillors – who had been happy for their own Labour Mayor to axe Mayor Lutfur Rahman’s education support payments which made up for Tory Government cuts – supported Mayor Rahman’s decision to introduce pensioner support payments to make up for Labour Government cuts. You couldn’t make it up.
●For more information about the Tower Hamlets Winter Emergency Fund and other help for those trying to make ends meet, go to: Tower Hamlets Cost of Living Help
●Read more about it: John Biggs tells us to make small changes Inde Group shocked as Labour Mayor John Biggs waves through devastating Public Health cuts