Labour pressured to ditch winter fuel policy as voters want change

Nearly eight in ten voters think Labour should ditch its winter fuel payments policy.

The party is under growing pressure to reverse slashing the subsidy for 10 million pensioners amid a brewing backbench rebellion and a threat of ministerial resignations over wider welfare cuts.

A YouGov poll found that less than one in ten (7 per cent) of voters believe Labour should keep its policy unchanged.

A third said it should return to the previous system, where all pensioners receive winter fuel payments regardless of their income.

Some 44 per cent said it should stay means-tested but that eligibility should be widened to include more low-income households.