A Labour Prospective Parliamentary Candidate has spoken of her concerns over the decision to scrap free TV licences for people over 75.

The BBC made the decision in order for the corporation to avoid making cutbacks.

However, Faiza Shaheen, for Chingford & Woodford Green, was angered by the Conservatives, who “promised in their general election manifesto to protect free TV licenses until 2022.”

She continued: “I am very angry to learn that thousands of our older residents in Chingford & Woodford Green are set to lose their TV license in 2020.”

“Chingford & Woodford Green has a large community of pensioners. This is pickpocketing those who have worked hard and contributed their whole lives which is utterly shameful.”

Labour created an online petition to protect the over 75s TV Licence - and has so far attracted over 22,000 signatures.

Several other petitions have also received support, with the UK Parliament petition gaining over 170,000 signatures. Another created by Age UK has gained over 500,000 signatures so far.

Ms Shaheen continued: “As your local Labour candidate, I am aware of what a terrible blow this is to our older community – many of whom are already struggling to make ends meet with pensioner poverty on the rise and who depend on their TV for company.”

“I have written to Iain Duncan Smith, our local Tory MP to ask him to come clean and tell us what he and his government are going to do to ensure free TV licenses aren’t cut and to keep their manifesto pledge.”

She added that if Mr Duncan Smith did nothing, the “responsibility for pushing older people further into loneliness and poverty will rest firmly at the government’s feet”.

Ms Shaheen continued: “We must send a message to Iain Duncan Smith and his government that enough is enough.

“We must protect Chingford & Woodford Green’s older population, especially those who live on their own. The government must step in and save free TV licenses for the over 75. “