Winter Fuel Payment - part two

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I and my colleagues involved in the campaign to achieve representation  of the British Expatriates in parliament have been heavily occupied answering emails, telephone calls, and interviews with the press on the matter of the Winter Fuel Payment.

Fine! O.K!  But does George Osborne know how mad, angry, people are?  No – I guess he doesn’'t. And I do not suppose he cares that much.  You, the expatriate Briton, either do not have a vote or perhaps like the majority of those who could vote, you do not bother to exercise it.

At the end of this piece I give you two contact addresses.  But let me highlight two  aspects of what has been said or reported.

1.  Above all is the interaction between British Governmental/Ministerial intentions and EU law.  Where relevant, the EU law is superior and must be observed. The WFP is only paid within the EU/EEA, by the British Government. Not further afield.

The winter fuel payment is defined within EU Law as an old-age benefit.  Such benefits have to be administered without discrimination across the European Union/EEA.

Mr. Osborne says ' ‘EU law now says’'.  Not true.  EU law has said it all along!  It is just that that the situation has been brought to the Government’s attention through a judgement in the European Court of Justice.

2. To avoid paying the WFP to every State pensioner, the Government is trying to impose a temperature gauge.  They are attempting to show that pensioners who are resident in countries (please note!) which are claimed to be warmer in the winter months than the region of the SW of England in the same months shall not receive it.

There is an error of logic here -  The statistics are (apparently) averaging a full country and comparing this with a English district.  So though a pensioner may live in the Auvergne or the Rhône-Alps, or the Alsace districts of France, or the Sierra Nevada in Spain, all places that in winter are certainly less mild – and even severe compared to–  the Scilly Isles or Cornwall, they will be discriminated against.

So, surely it should follow that if you live in a region comparable in administrative size with the SW of England, then if this temperature threshold is adopted, then that threshold should apply to that of  the administrative region where you reside?  So using France (with which I am more familiar), the comparison should be with administrative regions like Alsace (to the east of France which includes Strasbourg!).  But more than that, if a threshold is so defined, then if you, in your location can demonstrate that your temperatures do not reach that threshold, and are refused the WFP then you would rightfully have a case against the UK Government.  The benefit cannot depend on just where you live. That is discrimination!  We are inquiring as to the Statutory legal background to the possible introduction of this regulation, through our MPs.

I doubt if this temperature threshold concept would pass the scrutiny of EU law.

3. Many have noted the anomaly of Italy - No comment.

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I have had correspondence from pensioners surviving harsh conditions in France.   My article of March 2012 details a few!

http://pensionersdebout.blogspot.fr/2012/03/how-do-british-pensioners-live-in.html
The answer (as I have said before) to my mind, is to incorporate the WFP in some manner into the State Pension and thus make it taxable.  In that way the better-–off whether they live in the Scilly Isles or Scarborough will lose some in tax. 

You can make your feelings known by telling the truth as you see it by writing to George Osborne at the following address

For the attention of the Chancellor of the Exchequer,

Mr. George Osborne,

robertsonbj@parliament.uk

****

The PEN (the WORD) is MIGHTIER than the SWORD  - Wield it!

The VOTE is the most valuable weapon of all. It sharpens the force of your words.   Democracy depends on it.

Demand the VOTE and for heaven’s sake USE it – but of course most of us have no vote and far too many others lamely say ‘why should I vote?’  Here then, most clearly is a reason why.  Without Democracy you will be trodden on. Without the Vote in the background, your sword has no edge, and is but a toy.

If Britain pulls from the EU you will undoubtedly lose the WFP anyway!  And other benefits of belonging to this great enterprise.

Politicians fear the weapon of the vote.  It is more like a cupid’s arrow. It gives power to those whom you respect.

You need the Vote.  You can give your opinion on that subject by contacting the parliamentary committee on overseas representation, which has its  next meeting on July 3^rd, at jonathan.r.blades@gmail.com

 [Author Brian Cave)***************

To receive updates on all related matters – mail to

lefourquet@orange.fr  or graham.richards@orange.fr

The Winter Fuel Payment and YOU - June 2013

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Here is a piece from the BBC web site:       

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23065510
---- This is a report of George Osborne’s Financial statement of Wednesday 26^th June.

“Expats who live in seven warm European countries will lose their winter fuel payments under a "temperature test" announced by the chancellor.

George Osborne said that the payment would be withdrawn from people living in warmer countries from autumn 2015.  This will affect those living in a European country with an average winter temperature higher than the UK.

The move would save the Treasury about £30m, the Spending Review documents revealed.

Expats in seven countries will lose the payment. They are: Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal and Spain.”   [Odd- Where is Italy?]

George Osborne actual spoken words were.

“EU law now says that people living in the European Economic Area can claim Winter Fuel Payments from us even if they didn’t get it before they left the UK. Paying out even more money to people from all nationalities who may have worked in this country years ago but no longer live here is not a fair use of the nation’s cash. So from the autumn of 2015, we will link the Winter Fuel Payment to a temperature test. People in hot countries will no longer get it.“

The misinformed, misleading, nature of Osborne’s phrases are disgraceful.  He has chosen loaded words which are meant to colour the thoughts of the listener so that the listener is made to understand something other than the truth. The most famous propagandist of the last century said “The point of a political speech is to persuade people of what we think is right.”  This is not truth, the whole truth, but it is ‘propaganda’.

Read and note…..

‘people from all nationalities’.  The overwhelming majority of recipients of the Winter Fuel Payment in Europe, are like myself, British people descended from generations of British, indeed in my case, English people. This phrase is used to suggest that the money is not going to British people. Would he have dared say ‘British Citizens’

‘who may have worked in this country’  They receive a State pension, thus they most certainly worked in Britain.  The word ‘may’ is used to imply a sense of idleness. Would he have dared  omit the word ‘may’?

‘Is not a fair use of the nation’s cash’  Why is it not? 

‘In hot countries’.  The word ‘hot’ suggests what? Searing temperatures all the year round?   It is an exaggeration and suggests to the listener exceedingly warm all the year round. Which of course is George Osborne’s intention. Would he have dared say ‘the southern countries of the EU?’

He desires the resident population of Britain, especially those who are readers of The Mail and The Sun to believe that what he says is the truth.

The BBC web site says that the Climatological Unit at Norwich compiled figures to show that the 7 countries are warmer in winter than SW England.  Tell that to the expatriates in  Brittany, or in The Auvergne, and the towns of the Spanish hinterland or of Italy. OK! The Azores, and Majorca are warmer.  But there is not a scrap of difference between Lille (France) and Tournai (Belgium), just 20 km to the east.

The continental climate is characterised by hot summers and cold winters.

True - the Winter Fuel payment is a stupid payment - but it should be administered equably everywhere. My opinion is that it should be incorporated into the State Pension but paid as an increase to the regular monthly payments in December (incorporating the equally bizarre £10 Christmas bonus!) and also making the whole taxable.  In that manner the better-off would lose some of it.

You may find an item written one year ago stimulating! It concerns the neglect of the citizens in France in the 19^th century, but it still resonates today.

http://pensionersdebout.blogspot.com/2012/02/i-accuse.html

FINALLY – Is it not apparent that a certain dictatorial element lies in the thoughts of the party-body-politic in Britain.  The expatriate has no vote. Antipathy is raised against the expatriate  in Parliament, and in the press. 

We have no effective vote. Is it not time that we had a political voice?

If you have not already done so, send a Statement of Evidence to the Parliamentary Committee which one sincerely hopes is seriously considering the Representation of  Overseas electorate………….

Send to Jonathan Blades at the Palace of Westminster

 jonathan.r.blades@gmail.com

Jon Danzig's World: Can’t vote or don’t vote?

Jon Danzig's World: Can’t vote or don’t vote?