The Conservatives are using Labour’s decision to cut winter fuel payments for pensioners to boost party funds, HuffPost UK can reveal.
An email to supporters urges them to “chip in any amount” to help the Tories campaign against the policy.
The cash plea comes amid reports that the party is struggling for money as donations dry up.
According to the latest Electoral Commission figures, the Tories raised £16 million in donations between April and June this year.
That was £10m less than Labour received in the same period, and way down on what the Conservatives were given by donors in the run-up to the 2019 election.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced that only those claiming pension credit will receive the winter fuel payment – which is worth up to £300 – in future, meaning around 10 million old people will miss out.
The controversial decision was approved by the Commons last week, despite more than 50 Labour MPs failing to vote for it.
The Tory email, which was sent out on Monday, says: “From today Labour’s cruel cuts to winter fuel go into effect.
“Over 400 Labour MPs failed to stop the cuts when we put it to a vote. And now ten million pensioners are counting on us to fight for them.
“Over 100,000 people have signed our petition to keep winter fuel payments.
“But we need at least double that number to make MPs realise how badly they’ve misjudged this.
“So can you chip in any amount today to help us hold your Labour MP to account?
“Keir Starmer is forcing millions of pensioners into a cruel choice between the clothes on their back or the heat in their homes. He doesn’t have to worry about those choices.
“It’s been reported that a Labour Party donor has filled his wardrobe with suits and glasses. It’s just not right. And we’ll keep fighting for the millions of pensioners affected by this cruel policy.
“Help us do that by chipping in any amount to our campaigns today.”
Recipients who click on a ‘donate’ button are then taken to a page which allows them to choose how much they want to give,
A Labour source said: “It was the Tories that crashed the economy and left people across the country worse off. To leave a £22 billion black hole in the public finances when booted out of office and then fundraise off the back off it takes some serious brass neck.
“Rather than filling their own coffers, the shameless Conservatives would do well to acknowledge the catastrophic mess they’ve left this new Labour government to fix.”
