THE SNP’s depute leader has labelled Anas Sarwar “spineless” for not condemning Keir Starmer’s decision to restrict the Winter Fuel Payment.

Keith Brown said Labour have made the “political choice to continue with Tory austerity,” saying that the Scottish Labour leader is “powerless” in standing up to his party’s leadership.

It comes after Welsh Labour’s social justice secretary Jane Hutt warned the decision “risked pushing pensioners into fuel poverty”.

READ MORE: Poll: SNP to remain largest party at Holyrood but Anas Sarwar to be next FM

We also told how the Scottish Government said it had been left with “no choice” but to end universal fuel payments in Scotland due to the plans to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment in England and Wales.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said it was a “necessary decision when faced with such a deep cut to our funding”.

Commenting, Brown (above) said: “At least someone in the Labour Party still has the backbone to speak out against the cuts agenda being driven by Keir Starmer’s government.

"Despite election promises, Labour have made the political choice to continue with Tory austerity – hitting the most vulnerable in our society hardest by scrapping the universal Winter Fuel Payment and refusing to get rid of the cruel two-child benefit cap.

"Anas Sarwar, and his deputy Jackie Baillie, who previously said she would fight to protect the universal payment, have been spineless in their refusal to criticise the decision.

"Labour in Scotland are willing to roll over and go along with whatever their London bosses tell them.

READ MORE: Highlanders faces harder winter under Labour than Tories, SNP MP warns

"Despite his election rhetoric, Sarwar is clearly powerless to stand up to yet more austerity and cuts to benefits and public services.”

He added: “It should never be the case that pensioners in a country as energy rich as Scotland are forced to bear the brunt of spending decisions taken at Westminster.”

In response, Baillie (below) said: “This desperate attack would be laughable if Scots were not being forced to pay the price of almost two decades of SNP incompetence.

(Image: PA)

"Once again the SNP want to let their Tory friends off the hook for crashing the economy.

"The fact is that the SNP and the Tories have destroyed our economy and are expecting working people to pay for their failure.

"Enough is enough – Scots are seeing through the SNP’s pathetic spin and turning to Scottish Labour.

"While the SNP expect Scots to pick up the tab for their incompetence, Anas Sarwar and Scottish Labour are getting to work to deliver the jobs, investment and change that Scotland needs.”