The

The Let's talk to Dan Hodges, who even he, I think, is in some despair about this

Winston Fuel about announcement. Dan,

a very good morning to you. Good morning. I saw your tweet last night, which you sort of more or less

said, they're damned if they do, damned if they don't now. Labor's kind of boxed themselves in

on this Winston Fuel payment. But how did they not see that this is where it would end up?

I mean, I don't know.

I mean, when they came in, obviously they were scrabbling around.

They were looking at where they could find money, where they could find savings,

why they thought they could get away with finding savings by targeting, you know,

some of the most vulnerable people in society.

I really don't know. But as you've pointed out,

and as I've said, they are now in a real sort of box themselves into a corner on this,

because obviously it is a major issue. It had a major impact in the local elections and

in the in the in the Runkorn by-election I don't actually think it was the top issue I think I

from my experience being out in the country last week

immigration is the is one issue but there's absolutely no doubt

winter fuel was part of it and indeed winter fuel plays into that because I

what I had people saying to me was well well, if they can afford to pay for the migrants, as you said, house migrants, give them benefits, etc., etc.

How comes we can't pay winter fuel and how comes we can't look after our own?

But the problem the government's got now is if they don't turn, you turn,

then obviously they're going to take a massive hit. But if they do you turn, then the first

...