PMQs today live: Keir Starmer defends winter fuel payment cuts as Sunak accuses PM of ‘hiding’ impact

Conservative MP Blake Stephenson has asked Sir Keir Starmer what should a poor pensioner “missing out on the winter fuel payment prioritise heating or eating?”

In response, Sir Keir insisted that the government is having to take tough decisions.

The prime minister added Labour is doing that so it can “guarantee the triple lock” and the “increase in the state pension will be higher than the winter fuel payment loss.”

Nigel Farage has asked Sir Keir Starmer about his early prison release scheme.

The Clacton MP asked the prime minister why some people are being let out of jail early, while other people have been jailed over Facebook posts during recent far-right riots.

The Reform UK leader then faces groans from across MPs when he suggests that there is an impression of “two-tier policing” in the UK.

The accusation has been repeatedly dismissed by police chiefs.

In response, Sir Keir claimed he had to release prisoners early because the Tories “broke the prison system”.

The Liberal Democrat leader has asked Sir Keir Starmer about changes to the winter fuel payment. He asked whether the prime minister will instead reverse tax cuts for “big banks”.

Sir Ed Davey added: “So that we can afford to support millions of struggling pensioners through this very hard winter.”

In response, the prime minister again refers to the £22bn black hole in public finances, adding: “We’re taking the tough decisions because I’m absolutely convinced that’s the only way we can start rebuilding our country, investing in public services and making sure everyone is better off.”

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has asked the PM to provide guarantees that every cancer patient can start treatment within 62 days.

Sir Keir Starmer said the report from Lord Darzi, released tomorrow, will cover the issue and vowed to put more scanners in to address a “very serious failure” by the last Conservative government.

Rishi Sunak has accused Sir Keir Starmer of “repeatedly refusing to admit or to publish the consequences of his decision” on winter fuel.

The Tory leader said his party will “continue holding him to account for that”.

Rishi Sunak told Sir Keir Starmer: “We know why he is hiding the impact assessment. The Labour Party’s own previous analysis claimed that this policy could cause 3,850 deaths.

“So are the numbers in his impact assessment higher or lower than that?”

Sir Keir replied: “We are taking this decision to stabilise the economy. That means we can commit to the triple lock. By committing to the triple lock we can make sure that payments of state pension are higher and therefore there is more money in the pocket of pensioners, notwithstanding the tough action that we need to take.”

Rishi Sunak reminded MPs that Rachel Reeves said this morning she would “prefer it if this policy raised no money”.

The opposition leader asked the prime minister again whether the impact assessment for the winter fuel payments cut will be published.

In response, Sir Keir Starmer said he remembers when the Tories used to care about balancing the books.

He also claimed Kemi Badenoch used to “back means-testing the winter fuel payments”.

Rishi Sunak has piled pressure on the prime minister to publish an impact assessment of his decision to cut winter fuel payments, Archie Mitchell writes.

Ahead of a crunch vote on the move, which will take the payment from all but the poorest pensioners, The Independent revealed that an assessment had been conducted of how many would be pushed into fuel poverty by the move.

You can read The Independent’s exclusive story below:

Rishi Sunak has begun his round of questions on the winter fuel payment, which was voted on yesterday.

Mr Sunak asked: “Will he now publish the impact assessment before the House rises?”

Sir Keir Starmer hit back: “Before he complains about us clearing up his mess, perhaps he would like to apologise for the £22bn black hole.”