"SOME weeks are better than others,” Poole’s Labour MP has said after the government won a vote to axe winter fuel payments. 

Neil Duncan-Jordan was one of a small handful Labour MPs to criticise their government’s proposals to cut off the payments to 780,000 pensioners. 

But when it came to the vote in the Commons last week, Mr Duncan-Jordan had abstained from voting against the motion. 

Following the Commons vote, Mr Duncan-Jordan said: “Being an MP is of course a huge privilege – but some weeks are better than others. 

“The Labour government’s decision to means test the winter fuel payment I believe to be wrong and I said so in the chamber. 

“Just 70 days as an MP and the second speech I make is criticising the government, but neither could I vote for a Conservative motion – which was simply opportunist.” 

He said after 14 years of Tory austerity, it was “a bit much” to hear their motion against the government when they “claim they care about the poorest in society”. 

“So I couldn’t vote for either side – which is why I abstained – along with over 50 other Labour members,” he added. 

Mr Duncan-Jordan has insisted his views on the winter fuel payments will not go away and he has since requested a debate on pensioner poverty in October. 

He has also asked the work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall to set up a task force to look at income, fuel costs, housing and health for pensioners. 

Keir StarmerKeir Starmer (Benjamin Cremel/PA)

Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves have decided to means-test the benefits, worth up to £300, which they insist is necessary to help fill a “£22 billion black hole” in the public finances. 

From this winter, only people on pension credit or certain other benefits will receive the payments, while about 10 million others are set to be stripped of the allowance. 

In a document quietly released on Friday night, the Department for Work and Pensions said that more than two thirds, around 71 per cent, of those with a disability and 83 per cent of those aged 80 or over would miss out. 

Downing Street has said that a full impact assessment of the change, coming into effect this year, has not been carried out.