Labour Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds was left red-faced when Question Time host asked him seven times when the Government would carry out its Winter Fuel Allowance u-turn - and he was unable to answer. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced that more pensioner will receive winter fuel payments of up to £300, after the decision to introduce means-testing contributed to Labour’s huge defeat in local elections on May 1.

But the Prime Minister has not revealed what the new threshold will be, meaning that millions of pensioners still don’t know whether they will get the payment. And he hasn’t said when the change will come into effect, which means pensioners may have to endure another cold winter before the change comes into force.

Winter fuel payments used to go to every pensioner but Chancellor Rachel Reeves introduced means-testing so that now only the very poorest get the told the Question Time audience: “After the local elections the Prime Minister said ‘I get it’”. This is why more pensioners will now receive the money, he said.

But Ms Bruce told him pensioners were now asking: “Am I going to get my winter fuel allowance then, and when will I get it?”

When the Labour Minister failed to answer, she tried again, saying: “When will people know whether or not they are going to get their winter fuel allowance?”

Mr Thomas-Symonds failed to provide any details, so Ms Bruce pointed out that former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown had intervened. She said: “Gordon Brown said Keir Starmer will not wait until the October Budget, that would be too late. Is he right?”

When Mr Thomas-Symonds failed to name a date she tried again, asking: “Is he right about that? Will people know before the October Budget?”

Mr Thomas-Symonds said: “We will make sure that we are identifying where the money is coming from ....”

But Ms Bruce interrupted, saying: “That is not what I’m asking you. Will people know before the October budget?”

At this point the Labour Minister began talking about former Conservative Prime Minister Liz Truss. He said: “We’ve seen the effects before of trying to make spending pledges, Liz Truss did this, without saying where the money is coming from ...”

Ms Bruce asked him: “So that means before the October budget then doesn’t it?”

Mr Thomas-Symonds told her: “It will be announced at a fiscal event”.

At this point Ms Bruce asked about the Spending Review planned in June. She said: “So June, then?”

But Mr Thomas-Symonds replied: “No, June is not a fiscal event. We will announce it at a fiscal event. We want to move as quickly as we can as the economy improves.”

The Question Time host then gave up and the Labour Minister never did reveal when more details about the u-turn will be made clear.

There was open frustration in Labour ranks after Keir Starmer’s MPs were ordered to defend the policy for months, only for the Prime Minister to announce changes following disastrous local election results on May 1.

Cat Eccles, a Labour MP first elected in 2024, said she raised concerns privately with the Chancellor last year. She told Times Radio: “It’s only now or down the line after we’ve had those local election results that all of a sudden, they’re all ears to their MPs.”

She added: “Why have we just been put through this drama for the last nine months?”

Backbenchers worried about other policies such as cuts to disability benefits are now stepping up calls for more u-turns.

Left-winger Ian Lavery, a former Labour Party Chair, said: “The government must urgently re-think not only its position on the Winter Fuel Allowance but its entire direction of travel.”

And Diane Abbott, another left-wing MP, said: “The Labour leadership should review other planned cuts. They are an attack on the most vulnerable and they damage Labour too.”

Announcing the change of direction on Wednesday, Si Keir said he understood “that people are still feeling the pressure of the cost-of-living crisis, including pensioners”.

He added: “As the economy improves, we want to make sure people feel those improvements in their days as their lives go forward. That is why we want to ensure that, as we go forward, more pensioners are eligible for winter fuel payments.”