Sir Keir Starmer could face a rebellion of up to 50 Labour MPs in tomorrow’s crunch winter fuel payment vote.

Dozens of backbenchers are set to abstain when the measure to axe the payments for millions of pensioners comes to the House of Commons on Tuesday, while a handful are expected to vote against the policy.

It comes as Labour is facing a major backlash over plans to restrict the allowance to only those on pension credit.

Some 11 Labour MPs are among the 27 who have signed a Commons motion expressing concerns over the proposals.

Seven of the party’s MPs had the whip removed for voting to scrap the two-child benefit cap in July.

Sir Keir Starmer is facing a battle with MPs over his planned Winter Fuel Payment cut (Image: Getty)

The Prime Minister yesterday refused to say whether Labour MPs would be suspended from the party for voting against cuts to winter fuel payments.

He told the BBC: “That will be a matter for the chief whip.

“We’re going into a vote. I’m glad we’re having a vote, because I think it’s very important for Parliament to speak on this.

“But every Labour MP was elected in on the same mandate as I was, which was to deliver the change that we need for the country over the time we’ve got in office.

“I’m absolutely convinced that we will only deliver that change, I’m absolutely determined we will, if we do the difficult things.

“Now, I know they’re unpopular, I know they’re difficult. Of course they’re tough choices.”

Sir Keir also admitted his new government would be “unpopular” as he sought to defend the controversial decision.

He said: “We’re going to have to be unpopular. Tough decisions are tough decisions. Popular decisions aren’t tough, they are easy.

“When we talk about tough decisions, I’m talking about tough decisions, the things the last government ran away from, that governments traditionally run away from.

“I’m convinced that because they’ve run away from difficult decisions, we haven’t got the change we need for the country.”

Chancellor Rachel Reeves sparked a backlash in July when she announced plans to limit previously universal winter fuel payments.

She blamed a £22 billion black hole in the public finances left by the Tories, which they have denied.

The move is expected to reduce the number of pensioners in receipt of the up to £300 payment by 10million, from 11.4million to 1.5million – saving around £1.4billion this year.

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New poll reveals Tory leadership frontrunner with one candidate just behind

Robert Jenrick is the frontrunner in the Tory leadership race, according to a new poll of party members.

The former immigration minister received 38.3 percent in the survey by the Right-wing Popular Conservatism group.

Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch (Image: PA)

Shadow Housing Secretary Kemi Badenoch was second with 30.4 percent in the poll of 444 Tory members.

Centrist candidates James Cleverly, Tom Tugendhat and Mel Stride took 5.2 percent, 3.8 percent and two percent respectively.

A further 20.3 percent said “don’t know” in the poll, which was carried out from August 28 to September 5.

Popular Conservatism director Mark Littlewood said: “Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch appear to be the favourites of the party faithful.

“However, any successful candidate will need to heed the demands of the grassroots members.

“They want to see major reform of the party structures and an unambiguously conservative policy platform.

“Whoever puts forward the most credible offerings in these two areas is likely to become the next party leader.”

It comes as MPs will carry out a second round of voting on Tuesday to whittle the number of candidates down to four in the race to replace Rishi Sunak.

They will then take their campaigns to the Conservative Party conference later this month.

Mr Jenrick, who has emerged as a standard-bearer on the Tory Right, topped the first ballot of MPs last week with 28 votes.

Ms Badenoch, who is known for her no-nonsense views on woke issues, was second on 22.

Shadow Home Secretary Mr Cleverly was one vote behind on 21, shadow security minister Mr Tugendhat on 17 and Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Mr Stride on 16.

Dame Priti Patel, a prominent Eurosceptic on the Right of the party, became the first contestant to be eliminated after picking up just 14 votes.

After the Tory conference, MPs will carry out further rounds of voting to select two final candidates for the party’s grassroots to choose between. The result of the members’ ballot will be announced on November 2.