Labour’s botched winter fuel U-turn raises questions over its purpose in power

There is growing unease over the government's direction - a way to restore confidence would be to scrap the cruel' two-child limit

The lady is, it seems, for turning: one of Rachel Reeves's first decisions as chancellor was to strip winter fuel allowance from the vast majority of pensioners. Keir Starmer now says more of them should be eligible.

Pressure to shift had become intense after local elections where Labour councillors swept out of power by Reform repeatedly cited voter concern over winter fuel. But last week's botched half U-turn leaves Labour in an embarrassing political mess - and raises fresh questions about its purpose in power.