Angela Rayner taunted Tories for planning to cut winter fuel payments in unearthed post

Angela Rayner taunted the Tories for plotting to cut winter fuel payments for pensioners in an unearthed social media post.

In a tweet from 2017, the Labour firebrand asked then-PM Theresa May about the plans in the Conservative election manifesto, which were later dropped.

Ms Rayner said: "Will May confirm that 10million pensioners will lose their winter fuel payments if the Tories are re-elected?"

The tweet was posted in the run-up to the 2017 General Election, when Mrs May lost the Conservative Party's majority.

It comes as the new Labour Government is facing an intense backlash after announcing it will restrict the payments to only those on pension credit.

The payments of up to £300 a year were previously available to all pensioners regardless of income.

But the move has sparked criticism from opposition parties, charities and even some Labour politicians.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves blamed the state of the public finances when she unveiled the controversial move in July, accusing the Tories of leaving a £22billion black hole.

The Prime Minister yesterday insisted the policy will help "fix the foundations" of the economy.

Sir Keir Starmer said: "I don't want to cut the winter fuel allowance ... but we've got to fix the foundations of our economy and that's what this is all about - making sure that we fix the foundations and then, having done that, that we can build a better future that pensioners and so many other people voted for in this election."

The Government has used its powers to lay secondary legislation, which does not require a debate in the House of Commons.

The new rules are due to come into force on September 16.