The Tories made a final plea for Chancellor Rachel Reeves to reverse “cruel” winter fuel payment cuts ahead of tomorrow’s Budget.

The party today handed in its petition to the Treasury signed by more than 250,000 people demanding a U-turn.

Shadow work and pensions secretary Mel Stride said: “It is clear from the overwhelming support for this petition that there is deep anger about this cruel cut. Labour must stop this appalling policy at once.

“The basic unfairness of giving out billions to their union paymasters whilst removing £300 from many pensioners on £11,500, forcing them to choose between heating and eating, is completely unacceptable.

“The Budget is the big opportunity now to reverse this callous policy. I hope for the sake of vulnerable pensioners this winter that Rachel Reeves does the right thing.”

Tory leadership candidates Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick hit out at Labour over the policy, which will see the allowance restricted to only those on pension credit.

Shadow housing secretary Ms Badenoch said: “During the election Labour promised not to touch pensioner benefits, yet now they are taking away winter fuel payments from those who can barely get by.

“The public are rightly sick and tired of politicians giving empty promises. We must now renew the Conservative Party and restore trust so we can hold this failing Labour Government to account.”

Ex-immigration minister Mr Jenrick added: “Labour’s own analysis shows there are thousands of vulnerable pensioners who will die as a result of this shameful decision. When that happens, Starmer will be personally responsible.

“If Labour have found billions of pounds for their fantasy new energy company and above-inflation pay rises for their trade union paymasters, they can find the money to keep winter fuel payments.”

Dozens of Tory MPs turned out on College Green outside Parliament on Tuesday for a photocall with “keep winter fuel” signs.

Shadow health secretary Victoria Atkins said of Ms Reeves: “She must U-turn on her cruel decision to snatch winter fuel payments away from the most vulnerable pensioners.

“As we approach winter the Conservative Party will hold this government to account for this cruel decision that they have brought about in order to justify their cockeyed accounting.

“This single decision consigns millions of pensioners to making that decision as to whether they heat their homes or eat. That will have an impact on an individual level but also across the health service.”

Conservative Party chairman Richard Fuller urged the Chancellor to “stop making these very bad decisions which are affecting some of the most vulnerable people in society”.

He added: “It’s a very odd choice to say we’re going to cut payments to the elderly, people who can’t go out and work any harder, people who need this payment, and instead give money to union bosses and very well paid people.

“That was her choice, it was the wrong choice and I would hope she would reflect on that. She’s got a chance to take up the efforts through this petition and through the work the Express has been doing to change her mind.”

The Chancellor sparked a backlash in July when she announced that previously universal winter fuel payments would be stripped from around 10 million pensioners.

She blamed the move on a £22 billion black hole in the public finances left by the Tories, which they have denied.

The plan, which was rammed through Parliament last month, is expected to save the Treasury around £1.5 billion a year.

Veteran Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell warned that pensioners feel “betrayed” by Sir Keir Starmer’s party.

He said: “It wasn’t in the Labour manifesto, it’s going to affect thousands and thousands of pensioners in a very serious way.

Ex-Tory chairman Richard Holden added: “Thousands of people, particularly the lowest income earners who don’t have a choice about whether they can get another job or raise their income in any other way, are going to be absolutely hammered by this.

“They are going to be choosing between a warm meal and a warm home this year and in future years as well.

“I think this is the wrong decision at the wrong time from a government that was not straight with the British people about what its electoral platform was.”

The measure has faced intense criticism from opposition parties, charities, unions and some Labour politicians.

It also came under fire from a committee that scrutinises the Government’s welfare policies.

A 2017 Labour report found that almost 4,000 pensioners could die if winter fuel payments were scrapped.

The Daily Express has been campaigning for the allowance of up to £300 a year to be restored to all OAPs.

The Department for Work and Pensions was contacted for comment.