Keir Starmer, currently in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, has been vocal about the recent decision to means-test winter fuel payments, which is expected to be a contentious topic at the ongoing Labour party conference in Liverpool. In a series of media interviews prior to his departure, Starmer faced questions about the impact of this decision on pensioners. During an appearance on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Starmer was asked multiple times if he would apologize to pensioners affected by the cut, particularly highlighting the case of Chrissy, a pensioner with arthritis who expressed her concerns about rising fuel bills. Starmer, however, sidestepped the question, emphasizing the difficult economic situation inherited from the previous government, which he claimed left a £22 billion deficit. He stated, "I am really concerned that we’ve been put in this position. When you inherit an economy with £22 billion missing, it is a really difficult set of choices." Starmer asserted that the Conservatives, who were in power before Labour, should be the ones apologizing for the financial mess they left behind. The Labour party conference is set to debate the decision regarding winter fuel payments, with delegates expected to support a motion from the Unite union that condemns the government's actions.