By GB News (World News) | Created at 2024-11-22 18:06:27 | Updated at 2024-11-22 23:28:50
5 hours ago
Martin Daubney was visibly moved on-air as he heard the heartbreaking stories of pensioners struggling to cope with the rising energy bills and winter fuel cut.
The GB News presenter admitted it was "difficult to hear" the accounts from many pensioners who had written to a charity, recalling the measures they have been forced to undertake as a result of the rising costs.
In a fresh blow to struggling Britons, Ofgem confirmed energy bills will rise again on January 1 in line with a 1.2 per cent price cap increase, alongside the cuts to winter fuel payments.
Speaking to GB News, David Pinless, founder of ThePensionerVote.Com read several stories on-air from those affected by the changes.
Martin Daubney was visibly moved on-air as he heard the stories of pensioners struggling to cope with heating their homes
GB News / Getty
Sharing the stories with Martin, Pinless told GB News: "I have a person here called Barry - Barry says 'I'm a farmer with a croft. I'm sitting in my kitchen here now and it's six degrees.
"I have my farm winter clothes on and sleep in them at night in the lounge with my two sheep dogs. I think my sheep are warmer than me, and I lost the winter fuel payment of £300'."
Sharing the story of another pensioner, Pinless continued: "I have a lady here called Emily in Lancashire. She's 81 years old. Emily says 'I shop late in the afternoon in the hope that I will find something nice to eat for supper that has a reduced price label.
"I identify things that have a sell by date of today, and then linger in the supermarket watching a member of staff who might look like they are about to stick a reduced price label on. I am ashamed to say I have even hidden these items towards the back of the shelves, so nobody will buy them before me. I have never stolen.'"
Martin told Pinless: "I honestly find that very, very difficult to listen to. The notion that people are sleeping with their pets to stay warm, but they'd happily give their money to their pets to take care of the pets.
"And hiding reduced food on shelves, her feeling the shame of that. Oh, God - it just breaks my heart that we're in this position."
Hitting out at the government for implementing the winter fuel cuts, Martin fumed: "It just I find it very, very difficult to think that people who've always done the right thing, who are ashamed of reaching out for help, who don't like the notion of charity, of being a burden on the state, who've paid in all their lives into the state, who built this country, who rebuilt this country after war.
"A lot of people listening to this will will resonate greatly with the notion that you are treated better if you come to this country illegally on a dinghy.
Martin Daubney admitted it was 'really difficult' to hear the stories of pensioners struggling this winter
GB News
"The asylum hotels, they've got the windows wide open, even the depths of winter, because they're blaring the heating air in there, heating paid for by taxpayers, by people who paid in their entire lives. The desperation amongst British pensioners is palpable."
In agreement with Martin, Pinless responded: "I believe that the Prime Minister has said cutting the Winter Fuel Payment 'makes sense', and quite frankly, I think what would make sense is getting rid of some vanity projects, such as spending money on overseas climate aid.
"I feel very angry that the government is making these choices. Politics is all about choices, and they have chosen to spend money on certain projects, £11.5billion to overseas climate aid, I believe there's money going to overseas farmers now, half a billion a year.
"They seem to be punishing the demographics of people who they suspect don't vote Labour, like pensioners, farmers, and small businesses. But in the end, we're all going to suffer, because hopefully everyone will be lucky enough to become a pensioner one day."
