Keir Starmer says his Labour government is 'going to have to be unpopular' in Laura Kuenssberg interview

The Labour leader sat down with the veteran BBC presenter for a segment on the popular politics show Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg. The PM was forced to defend policies that have already caused controversy, including the scrapping of winter fuel payments for the majority pensioners.

His decision to scrap the winter fuel payment now means that only those on pension credit means-tested benefits will receive payment for the winter months, with the policy angering some voters in the country. The PM defended his decision, saying that the new criteria is more “targeted” and will mean those “most in need” will be supported.

Speaking to Kuenssberg, Starmer said that his government needs to “fix the foundations”, adding that the increase in state pension will “outstrip any loss for pensions of the winter fuel payment”. He said: "We want to get as many people onto pension credit as we can and we want to align housing benefit with pension credit.”

It comes after he spoke of a £22bn “black hole” in public finances inherited from the previous Tory administration. The winter fuel payments policy is set to be debated in parliament next week, but the PM refused to say whether any Labour MP who votes against it will be punished by the part, either by having the party whip suspended or being kicked out of the party.

He said: "I think it’s very important for Parliament to speak on this. But every Labour MP was elected in on the same mandate as I was, which is to deliver the change that we need for the country over the time we’ve got in office. I’m absolutely convinced we will only deliver that change, I’m absolutely determined we will, if we do the difficult things now."

Starmer added: "We’re going to have to be unpopular. Tough decisions are tough decisions."

Following the publication of the final report on the Grenfell Tower fire, Starmer admitted that the government need to “speed up and get on with it” in reviewing flammable cladding, the same material which contributed to the devastating fatal fire that killed 72 people in 2017. The report, which was published this week, said that “decades of failure” by government and construction firms had led to the deaths of residents.

The PM said: “I accept it’s my duty, the duty of this Government and everybody in a position of responsibility to make sure they are safe in their home. We will accelerate the programme, I’m frustrated that it’s going as slowly as it is to deal with the cladding.

“A lot of that is to find sort of true responsibility and to hold people to account for getting on with the job. The money is there, the intention is there. We need to move more quickly.”

Moving on to the topic of the NHS and an upcoming report from surgeon and independent peer Lord Darci, due to be published on Thursday, Starmer previewed the results telling Kuenssberg that it makes “really clear that the NHS is broken but not beaten”. He said: "His diagnosis, my conclusion is, the only way out of this now is reform.”