Under the new proposals, pensioners living on just above £13,000 a year will lose the winter fuel help (stock image)

Published during the 2017 election ­campaign, the research said: ‘Since the introduction of the winter fuel payment by Labour in 1997, allowing for significant variation in winter weather, deaths among the elderly have fallen from around 34,000 to 24,000.

Half of the almost 10,000 decrease in so-called ‘excess winter deaths’ – the rise in mortality that occurs each winter – between 2000 and 2012 was due to the introduction of the winter fuel allowance.’

Last night one Labour MP told the Mail: ‘This is blatant hypocrisy. All those now reversing Gordon Brown’s winter fuel allowance were Labour MPs when we fought against Theresa May’s government’s plans to scrap it in 2017.

‘Times change but the basic ethos and political principles of the largest parties should not be quite as interchangeable.’

Labour MP Rachael Maskell, who last week warned the plan would lead to more pensioners dying from the cold, said: ‘My concern is that an NHS under extreme pressure will experience even more pressure if people who are fuel-poor are ending up there because they can’t heat their homes.

‘Labour has got to find a solution to assure people they can get through this winter.’

Labour MP Rachael Maskell, who last week warned the plan would lead to more pensioners dying from the cold, said: ‘My concern is that an NHS under extreme pressure will experience even more pressure if people who are fuel-poor are ending up there because they can’t heat their homes’

Yesterday even the Health Secretary Wes Streeting admitted he is ‘not remotely happy’ about stripping the annual fuel bill subsidy, worth up to £300

The revelation that Labour itself warned of the deadly risks of the policy it is now driving through could prompt yet more of its MPs to rebel when they come to vote on it tomorrow.

Yesterday even the Health Secretary admitted he is ‘not remotely happy’ about stripping the annual fuel bill subsidy, worth up to £300.

Wes Streeting told Sky News: ‘I think it is a tough choice and we’ve had plenty of political criticism for it, I think, which demonstrates the political pain of it.

‘I’m not remotely happy about it, and I’m not remotely happy about having to say to some of my constituents, ‘I’m sorry that I’m going into work this week to vote for something that will take money away from you’.’

He insisted the Government had to act to fill the £22billlion ‘black hole’ in the public finances which the party claims was left by the Conservatives.

Mr Streeting added: ‘We didn’t come into government determined to take away people’s winter fuel allowances. That’s not the primary motivation here. The motivation is to balance the books.’

Labour dissenters previously warned that the plan to axe winter fuel payments would save little money once the cost of treating pensioners hit by the cold had been factored in (file photo)

But, hinting at further cuts, he warned: ‘It’s not just pensioners. We’ve got the Budget and the spending review coming up.’

Both he and the Prime Minister refused to say if Labour MPs would be punished for rebelling against the Government amid rumours that dozens may abstain in tomorrow’s Commons showdown.

Asked if Labour MPs who vote against the legislation will have the party whip withdrawn – as seven did in July for opposing the two-child benefit cap – Mr Streeting replied: ‘Well, that’s a matter for the Prime Minister and the Chief Whip.’

When Sir Keir was asked the same question by the BBC, he replied: ‘Well, that’ll be a matter for the Chief Whip and we’ll assess that as we go along.’

Initially Labour had attempted to introduce the cuts through secondary legislation without any scrutiny in the Commons, before performing a U-turn under pressure from the Tories.

But the PM said he is now ‘glad’ a vote is going ahead, adding: ‘I think it’s very important for Parliament to speak on this. This is really tough, and I do get that it’s tough, it’s not easy, and no Prime Minister wants to take a decision like this.

Last night Tory chairman Richard Fuller said: ‘This week’s vote on the Conservatives’ motion is a vote to protect millions of vulnerable pensioners’

‘But the winter fuel payments are now to be targeted, they were untargeted before, and I think everybody thought that wasn’t a particularly good system, so it needed to be targeted.’

Asked whether he was ‘willing’ to be unpopular, Sir Keir replied: ‘We’re going to have to be unpopular. Popular decisions aren’t tough, they’re easy.’

Last night Tory chairman Richard Fuller said: ‘This week’s vote on the Conservatives’ motion is a vote to protect millions of vulnerable pensioners.

‘No MP from any party should run scared from stopping Labour’s cruel plans to cut the winter fuel payments.

‘It’s time for all Members of Parliament to put aside party politics and do the right thing.’

Labour MP Rosie Duffield has said she ‘absolutely’ can not support the Government but will abstain rather than vote against.

Labour MP Rosie Duffield has said she ‘absolutely’ can not support the Government but will abstain rather than vote against

Yesterday independent MP John McDonnell – who spoke out against the winter fuel cuts back in 2017 when he was shadow chancellor – said he thought some pensioners would die as a result of the cuts

She told Times Radio: ‘This government has made it very clear that Labour MPs who vote against this new government will be punished and have the whip removed. But I will be showing that I don’t agree with them by abstaining and I know a few colleagues are doing the same.’

Yesterday independent MP John McDonnell – who spoke out against the winter fuel cuts back in 2017 when he was shadow chancellor – said he thought some pensioners would die as a result of the cuts.

He wrote on X: ‘I remain in hope ministers will come forward with an alternative to protect my constituents, who will suffer badly from this change of policy. If not I can’t in all conscience do anything else but vote against.’

Despite opposition from the Tories, Liberal Democrats, the Scottish National Party and independents, as well as likely Labour abstentions, the policy will sail through the Commons because of Labour’s huge majority.

Last night, a Government spokesman said: ‘We do not recognise these figures.

‘We are committed to supporting pensioners through the triple lock, which means that over 12 million pensioners will see their state ­pensions increase by almost £1,000 over the next five years.

‘Given the dire state of the public finances we have inherited, it’s right that we target support to those who need it most.

‘Over a million pensioners will continue to receive the winter fuel payment, while many others will also benefit from the £150 warm home discount from October.’