A Powys councillor has accused Montgomeryshire’s MP of “failing Powys electors” over the issue winter fuel payments.

Plaid Cymru councillor Elwyn Vaughan has heavily criticised Montgomeryshire’s MP, Steve Witherden, for voting with the government over its plan to cut winter fuel payments.

The vote carried out in the House of Commons on September 10 saw Mr Witherden in favour of the Labour Government’s plan to cut winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners in England and Wales, with a Conservative motion to strike down the move being defeated by 348 votes to 228.

"As many as 31,000 Powys pensioners will be affected by the winter fuel cut. Not a single Welsh Labour MP voted against. Plaid Cymru proudly voted against Labour’s light austerity.

“Our MP was full of bluster during election hustings how he would stand up to the party whips - yet today he has failed Powys electors and put party before people.

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“A headline in The Independent, from Labour’s own research, suggests the cut to winter fuel payments could kill 4,000 people.

“Let’s not say this is Labour cutting winter fuel payments instead of a wealth tax. Its Labour prepared to see 4,000 pensioners perish on the altar of austerity."

As many as 52 Labour MP’s abstained from the vote, including some in Wales such as. A number of Plaid Cyrmu MP’s voted against the government plan, as did Lib Dem MP for Brecon, Radnorshire, David Chadwick.

Writing on social media, Mr Chadwick said: “Cutting the Winter Fuel Allowance will put untold stress on pensioners across Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe.

“We all know that the Conservatives left public finances in a mess, but vulnerable older people should not be forced to choose between eating and heating this winter.

“A study this week has show a staggering five out of every six pensioners living below the poverty line could be at risk of losing their winter fuel payments due to these proposals.”

In a statement regarding his vote, Mr Witherden said: “I know and understand the strength of feeling from constituents on this issue. I also know that they are not naïve to the fact that the government has inherited an untenable financial situation from 14 years of Conservative mismanagement.

“While difficult decisions do need to be made, constituents have rightly argued that there are many viable alternatives open to the government.

“Given our lamentable financial inheritance, however, the government is right to target winter fuel payments to those who need it, rather than spending taxpayer money on those who accept that they themselves do not.”