UK politics - live: Reeves says pensioners can afford winter fuel payment cuts as MPs call for Israel arms ban

Rachel Reeves has said that pensioners should be able to afford the government’s decision to slash winter fuel payments because of increases to the state pension and energy bills being lower than previous years.

Tory MP Wendy Morton questioned Ms Reeves decision to implement the controversial policy that will impact 10 million pensioners who have “worked hard all their lives”.

Ms Reeves replied: “The increases in the basic state pension mean that constituents of hers are £900 better off than they were a year ago and of course energy bills are lower this year than they were last year.

The chancellor’s appearance in the House of Commons comes amid a deepening row over the UK’s decision to suspend the export of some arms to Israel .

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted furiously to the UK’s decision, describing it as “shameful” and “misguided”.

However, a number of left-wing MPs, including Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana, have urged for a full arms embargo to be implemented on Israel.

Mr Corbyn shared a letter signed by the five MPs who are part of the newly formed Independent Alliance group calling for an “immediate and total arms embargo to Israel”.