Keir Starmer sees off backbench rebellion in winter fuel vote

MPs voted 348 to 228 against the Conservative Party's motion for the controversial policy to be blocked.

A list of how MPs voted isn’t available yet but will be shortly.

Having said this it will not be immediately clear how many actively chose to abstain as it will only show who voted in favour, against and who did not record a vote.

For example, some may not record a vote because they were unable to attend due to other commitments.

The Government’s working majority is 167.

As the result of the vote was announced, shouts of “shame” could be heard in the House of Commons chamber.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has accused the Conservatives of “faux outrage” over the winter fuel payment.

The minister said: “I would say to the faux outrage of members opposite, the faux outrage of members opposite who left 880,000 pensioners, the very poorest, not getting the pension credit they’re entitled to.

“And I would urge all honourable members to work with us and their local councils to make sure pensioners get the money they’re entitled to.”

She also told the Commons: “As my right honourable friend the Chancellor (Rachel Reeves) and the Prime Minister (Sir Keir Starmer) have said, this is not a decision we wanted or expected to make, but when we promised we would be responsible with taxpayers’ money, we meant it, because we know what happens when members opposite played fast and loose with the public finances.

“Working people and pensioners on fixed incomes paying the price with soaring interest rates, mortgages and inflation.”

An uplift in the number of pensions credit claimants is accounted for in axing the winter fuel payment, according to the Work and Pensions Secretary.

Recommended reading:

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• Winter Fuel Payment warning as many pensioners below poverty line will miss out

Intervening in Liz Kendall’s Commons speech, Conservative former minister Harriett Baldwin asked: “Will she confirm from the despatch box that if every pensioner who is eligible for pension credit takes it up, that the cost to the exchequer will actually be substantially more than the savings from axing the winter fuel payment?”

The minister replied: “I would ask the honourable lady is that why members opposite never took the action needed to increase pension credit uptake.

“We take a different approach, and I would say to her that all of the savings the Chancellor has announced take into account that increased uptake that we want and we intend to do.”

Ms Kendall added: “When money is so tight, it cannot be right that all pensioners receive a payment worth two to three hundred pounds a year whatever their income, including some of the wealthiest pensioners.”

The division list showed Labour MP Jon Trickett (Normanton and Hemsworth) supported the Conservation motion while no vote was recorded for 53 Labour MPs, although this does not automatically equate to an abstention for each MP as they may have received permission to miss a vote.