Lord Bonkers vs Lord Oakeshott on winter fuel payments

Lord Bonkers writes exclusively for Liberal England:

I fear our own Lord Oakeshott has made something of a fool of himself on the Daily Mail's electric website. 

He is quoted there as saying: 

'Would I be right in guessing that you, at the age of 61, are like me one of the 500,000 top rate taxpayers who benefit from this farcical tax-free bung,' he asked Lord Freud at question time.

"'Why can't winter fuel payments at least be taxed like the old age pension. That would raise £220 million a year to help people in real need in our country?'

And: 

Lord Oakeshott added: 'It is farcical to be spraying out winter fuel payment cheques all around the Mediterranean. 

"'The toast as they sip their sangrias in the sun at the Malaga golf club must be David Cameron and George Osborne.' 

This is clearly nonsense and I hope we shall hear no more of it from Lord Oakeshott - or any other Liberal Democrat.

Bonkers

Hotel Splendide, Antibes