REVERSE FUEL PAY CUT FOR ALL OAPs NOW!

LABOUR turmoil over cuts in winter fuel payments for deepened last pensioners night, after Sir Keir Starmer ruled out a U-turn.

- By Martyn Brown

Despite growing calls for the hated policy to be reversed following the party's local elections disaster, Downing Street said there would be no change.

It came after Health Secretary Wes Streeting admitted that axing the payments for 10 million OAPS had been an issue on campaign doorsteps and said the Government would be "reflecting on what the voters told us".

Welsh Labour leader Baroness Morgan also urged a "rethink" of the policy amid growing disharmony within the party. But Sir Keir's official spokesman ruled out any tweaks yesterday, saying: "The policy is set out. There will not be a change to the Government's policy.

He added the winter fuel decision was taken to "ensure economic stability and repair the public finances following the £22billion black hole left by the previous Government".

The spokesman also pointed to an expected £1,900 state pension rise over the course of this Parliament and an extended household support fund. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: "Labour broke a promise.

"They told people before the election that they were going to protect pensioners and the first thing Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves did on entering Government was to strip away the winter fuel payment from millions of vulnerable people.

"It's not even going to raise the money that's actually going to make a difference.