Sir Keir Starmer has said he stands behind proposed changes that would take Winter Fuel Payments away from almost ten million pensioners this winter.

The Prime Minister, who has faced criticism from unions and some of his own MPs for the policy, said he recognised that scaling back the winter fuel payment was a “really tough decision” but said Labour must “secure the foundations” of the economy as he faces a potential backbench revolt over the plans.

The move has been met with unease among some Labour backbenchers who have said they feel unable to vote with the Government on Tuesday.

Sir Keir told Scottish lobby journalists in Downing Street: “Let me first recognise this a really tough decision that we’ve had to make.”

But he said that Labour had been “elected into government on........

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