Keir Starmer was accused of hiding information about how many pensioners are expected to die following cuts to the winter fuel allowance.

The Prime Minister refused to say if the number would be higher or lower than the 4,000 deaths that Labour previously warned payments means-testing the payments would lead to.

Sir Keir Starmer faces grilling over winter fuel cuts at PMQs (Image: House of Commons)

Sir Keir insisted that the triple-lock means pension increases “will outstrip any loss of payment”.

And he also refused to rule out axing free bus passes and the single-person council tax benefit.

During a clash in the Commons at Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Sunak said: “We know why he’s 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 insisted the decision had to be made to fill a £22 billion blackhole in the public finances.

He added: “We’re 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’s more money in the pockets of pensioners, not withstanding the tough action we need to take.

“But he goes around pretending that everything is fine. That’s the argument he tried in the election and that’s why he’s sitting there and we are sitting here.”

Mr Sunak hit back: “Today pensioners watching will have seen that the Prime Minister has repeatedly refused to admit or publish the consequences of his decision and we will continue holding him to account for that.”

Labour later denied it had broken its promise to be transparent by refusing to publish the impact assessment.

The Prime Minister’s press secretary said: “The Government has operated with openness and transparency.”

Tory Dame Harriett Baldwin said the policy was part of “Starmer socialism”, which targets “frail 90-year-olds”.

She said: “I thought that socialism was about taxing those with the broadest shoulders in order to help the most vulnerable, but it appears that Starmer socialism involves scaring those with the broadest shoulders out of the country, while taking away the winter fuel allowance of frail 90-year-olds living in draughty homes.”

Around 50 Labour MPs failed to show up to a vote on the winter fuel cuts on Tuesday.

The Express crusade to save the payment has been backed by MPs from across the political spectrum.

Labour is axing the universal allowance, which is £200 for pensioners under 80 and £300 for those over, to save £1.5 billion

Instead only retirees who receive pension credit or other means-tested benefits will receive payments this year.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called for the Prime Minister to target the banks instead of removing winter fuel payments for some pensioners.

Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, he said: “We believe it’s just wrong to balance the books by removing the support from pensioners.”

Meanwhile, Conservative MP Louie French raised concerns about the future of the single person council tax discount and free bus passes.

He said: “Following Labour’s disgraceful political decision to scrap winter fuel payments, with little notice to millions of pensioners, will the Prime Minister today rule out scrapping concessionary travel fares and council tax discounts, which also help millions of pensioners across the UK—yes or no?”

Sir Keir refused to guarantee either measure, telling the Commons: “I am not going to pre-empt the Budget. It will all be set out in due course.”

Campaigners are holding talks about joining forces to push for the restoration of the universal winter fuel allowance and the protection of benefits like the bus pass and council tax discount.

Silver Voices and Age UK are in talks about a joint effort with other groups that represent older people.

Silver Voices director Dennis Reed said: “We are at a critical juncture in protecting longstanding universal pensioner benefits and even the state pension from means testing.

“With the first brick in the wall taken away yesterday with the winter fuel regulations being railroaded through, the pensioner movement needs to unite and step up protest action.

“With this wider picture in mind I have written to the leaders of the other Big 4 older people’s campaign organisations, Age UK, Independent Age and the National Pensioners Convention suggesting that we form a coalition to fight for a reversal of the disastrous winter fuel policy, or at least radical measures to protect those above the pension credit cut-off point who will be hit the hardest this winter.

“If the Government gets away with this targeted action against older people, other universal benefits like bus passes and free prescriptions will be next in line, together with other policies which will harm senior citizens disproportionately, like abolishing the single council tax discount. United in mass action is Silver Voices’ call to all older people’s organisations. “