PRIME Minister Sir Keir Starmer faced shouts of “shame” during PMQs today as he defended moves to cut winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners.

Conservative Party leader Rishi Sunak asked why the Prime Minister preferred to fund pay rises for train drivers rather than maintain the payments.

Sir Keir struggled to respond, robotically repeating that the Tories had bequeathed him a £22 billion black hole in the public finances.

He said “no prime minister wants to do what we have to do” as he argued the “tough decision” was required to “stabilise our economy.”

Sir Keir also told Mr Sunak that it was necessary to solve the rail disputes, something the Tories did not as much as attempt.

Tory MPs heckled Sir Keir with shouts of “shame” throughout his answers to the Commons.

And Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey joined in, citing the case of a career who would struggle to make ends meet without the payment.

People in England and Wales not in receipt of pension credit or other means-tested benefits will lose out under the policy, which MPs are expected to vote on next week.

It is expected to reduce the number of pensioners in receipt of the up to £300 payment by 10 million, from 11.4m to 1.5m, saving around £1.4bn this year.

Sir Keir claimed that the government would encourage more pensioners to take up pension credit, making them eligible for the benefit.

And he tried to score points by quoting Tory leadership contender Kemi Badenoch as supporting means-testing the benefit.

But Labour backbenchers are deeply unhappy at the move and the government risks a rebellion when it comes to a Commons vote.