‘Constitutional crisis looms’ if Lords reject equal marriage plan – Media roundup: June 3rd, 2013

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‘Constitutional crisis looms’ if Lords reject equal marriage plan

The Government could be plunged into a “constitutional crisis” if members of the House of Lords reject plans for gay marriage this week, a senior peer has warned. Opponents of the Same Sex Couples Bill will force peers to vote on Tuesday on a “fatal motion” to kill off the Bill before it is even considered in detail by the Lords. Should the attempt succeed, David Cameron will be placed in the contentious position of forcing through the Bill with a rare use of the Parliament Act or abandoning the current legislation altogether. In an interview with The Independent, the Labour peer Lord Alli, a staunch supporter of the Bill, warned that tomorrow’s vote was “too close to call” and that it could trigger a crisis for the Government should the Bill fail. “If they win the vote then the Bill doesn’t come to us and the Commons can’t do anything about it,” he said. “The Government could use the Parliament Act but the argument against it is that the issue was not a manifesto commitment. In my view they could legitimately do it because it was a free vote – but it’s a constitutional crisis,” he added. – Independent

Labour to axe fuel payments for wealthy elderly

Labour would cut winter fuel payments for the UK’s richest elderly people if they won the next general election, Ed Balls is due to say. It would currently affect about 600,000 people over 61 who pay higher and top income tax rates – saving about £100m. But one pensioners’ pressure group said it would undermine the principle that those who paid into the system were entitled to something in return. The shadow chancellor will also promise an “iron discipline on spending”. Mr Balls is due to tell an audience at Thomson Reuters headquarters in London that Chancellor George Osborne’s economic policies have “failed catastrophically” on growth, jobs and deficit reduction. – BBC

Labour sources said Mr Balls did not believe the universality of the winter fuel allowance was central to the welfare state. But they said the party had no intention of extending the cuts to areas such as free bus passes and eye tests. – Independent

Other highlights

• Britain’s economic recovery depends on working with Europe – Frances O’Grady, Guardian
• Britain has been nuked. Should we hit back? – Tim Montgomerie, The Times(£)
• Lord Sufar calls for Green energy target – FT
• Trevor Kavanagh attempts to resurrect the “Red Ed” moniker – The Sun