Labour MPs who missed winter fuel vote given ‘feudal’ warning by whips

Letter warns abstainers over future conduct, while the one rebel MP apparently retains whip

Labour MPs who missed a controversial vote on removing the winter fuel payment from most pensioners have been stripped of potential privileges and warned about their future conduct, the Guardian has been told.

While the sanctions have caused some anger, with one of the MPs calling the whips' behaviour feudal", the overall response to the rebellion has been seemingly less severe than in July, when seven MPs lost the Labour whip for rebelling.