Labor’s Diane Abbott has hit out at party leader Sir Keir Starmer on live television, berating his “poor judgment” in accepting gifts and cutting winter fuel payments.

The Hackney North MP has a checkered past with the Prime Minister after having Labor withdrawn over an “offensive” suggestion that “Jews do not suffer from racism”.

The post of whip was reinstated before the general election, but only after months of uncertainty over its future.

Appearing on the BBCOn Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, stand-in host Victoria Derbyshire asked Ms Abbott how she thought Labor and the Prime Minister were doing so far.

She went on to say: “Maybe if he had done more door-to-door canvassing for the Labor Party he wouldn’t have understood that it’s everyone’s job to take money out, not to retirees.

“Retirees don’t forgive and forget and they are part of the group of voters who actually vote – and he doesn’t seem to have understood that this would be a problem.

“In the streets, in other parts of the country, people still come to my colleagues to complain about what he did regarding winter fuel.

“Removing the winter fuel allowance from retirees in this rather clumsy manner demonstrates a lack of political judgment.”

Ms Abbott has already proven to be a headache for the Prime Minister as he tries to convince voters that Labor has moved on from its far-left past.

She was a close ally and friend of Jeremy Corbyn, whose shadow secretary of state she was before losing the 2019 election and subsequently being expelled from the party over allegations of antisemitism.

She has previously warned in interviews that she would be prepared to oppose Sir Keir and the government on certain issues.

Labour’s decision to scrap the £300 universal winter fuel allowance given to most pensioners has sparked controversy, especially as energy bills are set to rise.

Earlier this month, Dennis Reed, director of campaign group Silver Voices, said: “The news that energy prices will rise again in January is further proof of the Government’s folly in removing the winter fuel payment for most retirees.

“Elderly people who are just above the benefit eligibility threshold are already straining to balance heating and food costs.”