UK government will stand firm on plan to cut winter fuel payments, says minister

Housing minister says policy will not be watered down day after dozens of Labour MPs abstained in key vote

Plans to scale back winter fuel payments for pensioners will not be watered down, a UK government minister has said, after dozens of Labour MPs abstained on a key Commons vote on Tuesday night.

The housing and planning minister, Matthew Pennycook, was speaking the morning after MPs voted to remove the winter fuel allowance from all but the poorest pensioners in England and Wales.