'No PM wants to take a decision like this'

Starmer defends winter fuel axe amid growing backlash

- LIZZY BUCHAN & DAVE BURKE

KEIR Starmer said he was forced to cut the winter fuel allowance, amid a mounting backlash over the controversial decision.

Some 10million pensioners will lose the payment this winter, as the government grapples with a £22billion-a-year financial black hole.

But Starmer admitted No10 is "going to have to be unpopular" due to the chaos left behind by the Tories.

Yesterday, he was asked by the BBC to respond to an angry Labour voter, who said he felt betrayed by the cut.

Starmer said: "This is really tough.

It's not easy. No Prime Minister wants to take a decision like this." He insisted that the only way to change the country is to do "difficult things now".

He said that previous governments had "run away from difficult decisions".