Why the SNP's cheeky winter giveaway for pensioners may owe something to Scottish Labor that leaves Starmer red-faced

It was the SNP’s Stephen Flynn’s claim in family housing that Sir Keir Starmer “promised to protect pensioners just to pick their winter fuel allowance” that prompted the rock legend Roger Daltrey applauding loudly from the visitors’ gallery.

And now, as a reminder, 24 hours later the SNP government at Holyrood has announced that every pensioner in Scotland will receive a winter payment next year. It’s a move the SNP hopes will be a big hit with Scotland’s 900,000 pensioners.

But wait a minute. From next year, Scottish pensioners who are entitled to benefits such as Pension Credit will receive either £200 or £300, depending on their age. It’s the same as Chancellor Rachel Reeves has already taken away.

But all other Scottish pensioners will only receive £100. So the pre-Christmas gift of John Swinney The SNP government north of the border is not as generous as it seems, although £100 is better than nothing!

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Indeed, the Scottish Conservatives have already accused Mr Swinney and his Holyrood ministers of “misleading” Scottish pensioners by claiming that the full winter fuel payment scrapped by Ms Reeves was being reinstated.

But the SNP’s gesture is not limited to money. This is a brazen political move aimed not only at embarrassing Sir Keir and Ms Reeves, but also at outflanking Scottish Labor leader Anas Sarwar.

Indeed, Mr Sarwar, who hopes to end almost 20 years of SNP rule at Holyrood in the 2026 Scottish Parliament election, has already pledged to reintroduce winter fuel payments in Scotland, leaving Sir Keir blush.

The promise led the SNP to accuse Mr Sarwar of “staggering hypocrisy”. Yet the SNP government has also come under pressure to introduce a package of measures to compensate Scottish pensioners for UK government cuts.

Initially, Mr Swinney’s government claimed it did not have the power to give pensioners a winter fuel payment. But the opportunity to try to humiliate Mr Sarwar proved irresistible, prompting a change of heart.

But it appears Mr Sarwar’s pledge has prompted Mr Swinney to bring forward his U-turn on next week’s Scottish budget, after Labor threatened to force votes at Holyrood.

In July’s general election, Labor made a comeback in Scotland, winning 36 seats from the SNP, while the Nationalists suffered a collapse.

Mr Sarwar hopes it will be a launching pad for victory at Holyrood in 18 months. And the battle between Labor and the SNP over winter fuel payments confirms the 2026 election campaign is already underway.

And as for Roger Daltreyhe is due to perform solo concerts in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee in April and May next year. And this time, it will be the Scots who will applaud him loudly, without a doubt.