Sir Keir Starmer today refused to apologise for scrapping winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners - despite Labour being forced into a humiliating U-turn.
The Prime Minister insisted it was 'the right decision' to originally axe the handouts, worth up to £300 a household, for around 10 million retirees last winter.
This was despite him and Chancellor Rachel Reeves having now backtracked on the policy by restoring payments to more than three-quarters of pensioners.
Ms Reeves' axing of winter fuel payments for all but the poorest pensioners, through the introduction of a means test, was one of her first acts as Chancellor last July.
It sparked a fierce backlash and has since been blamed for Labour's dire local elections performance in May.
