Ed Miliband today insisted Labour is 'not going to apologise' for axing winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners before being forced into a humiliating U-turn.
The Energy Secretary repeated the Government's claim that cutting the handout - worth up to £300 a household - last winter was needed to 'stabilise the economy'.
In one of Rachel Reeves' first acts as Chancellor in July, she stripped winter fuel payments from all but the poorest pensioners by introducing a means test.
Her decision to axe the handout for around 10 million retirees sparked a fierce backlash and has been blamed for Labour's dire local elections performance in May.
Ms Reeves and Sir Keir Starmer have now partially reversed the decision and restored winter fuel payments for anyone with an income of under £35,000 a year.
