The leader of Northumberland’s Conservative-led council administration has criticised the county’s MPs over their decision to cut to the Winter Fuel Allowance for pensioners.

Three of the MPs supported the cut, while Ian Lavery, the MP for Ashington and Blyth abstained on the vote, meaning Labour’s attack on pensioners sailed through the House of Commons without significant opposition.

The cut to winter fuel payments will see around 10 million pensioners lose the payment of up to £300 to help with energy costs which has been introduced by the new Labour government whose union-backed supporters will now benefit from pay-rises that will cost billions.

Despite calls from residents to oppose the change, David Smith, Emma Foody, and Joe Morris all supported the government motion to remove the support which helps pensioners stay warm during the coldest months. Ian Lavery chose not to participate in the vote.

During the debate about the Winter Fuel Allowance, Labour’s spokesperson James Murray MP refused to rule out a further attack on pensioners through the removal of travel concessions for people of state pension age and single-person discounts on council tax.

Council leader Glen Sanderson said:

“It is very disappointing to see our new MPs let pensioners of Northumberland down in this way. Labour’s own research has said that up to 4000 pensioners could die as a result of their actions, and our council will do all it can to mitigate the impact of their policy.

“Northumberland has been identified as one of the areas worst affected by this change. Sir Keir talks about pension credit as an alternative, but there are around 70,000 pensioners in Northumberland who will lose out as they don't meet the threshold for pension credit. As a rural county we have many residents using expensive oil heating as they live off the gas grid, and we have a higher than average percentage of residents on the cusp of qualifying for the payments under the newly proposed criteria.”