THE SNP blasted Sir Keir Starmer today after the Prime Minister said he stood by his decision to slash the incomes of 10 million pensioners by means-testing their winter fuel payments — despite planning steps to partially reverse the move.

The choice to restrict eligibility for the payments was cited as a key factor in Labour’s council elections hammering last month, prompting a rethink.

But despite Sir Keir’s decision to announce a review of the policy last week, the Prime Minister struck a defiant tone on BBC Radio 4 today.

He said: “I do think it was our duty to stabilise the economy and to fill in that £22 billion black hole. And I’m not going to resile from that.”

The SNP Scottish government has pledged to reinstate the benefit to the 900,000 people who lost out north of the border, but it has also warned of more cuts without a full U-turn by Labour.

SNP Westminster economy spokesman Dave Doogan said: “Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to rob pensioners of their winter fuel payment was his political choice and for him to continue to defend it shows just how detached he and his Labour Party has become.

“Trust in the Labour government is broken, thanks to their political choices.”