Sir Keir Starmer was left squirming after being skewered by Nick Robinson over Labour plans to means-test the £300 winter fuel payment, with the BBC journalist telling him “Pensioners are making sacrifices while you get freebies”.

The Prime Minister has been facing a steady barrage of criticism over the controversial proposals for weeks, especially as it coincides with revelations that he and other senior Labour politicians accepted donations of free clothing, accommodation and hospitality.

A motion calling for a U-turn on the policy proposed by the Unite union was passed on the final day of the Labour conference in Liverpool today, and, in an interview aired on BBC Radio 4, Mr Robinson wasted no time putting the PM on the spot during a one-on-one interview.

He said: “Part of the reason why this is controversial, and I wonder if you recognise this, is that as pretty poor pensioners are being asked to lose money, they think politicians are getting freebies.

“They think you’re getting free clothes and free glasses and free tickets, free holidays, free stays in a flat.

“And they think, ‘well we’re being asked to sacrifice things, why can’t politicians’?”

Sir Keir replied: “Let me deal with those because I understand why you’re asking questions. I understand why other people are asking questions. I’ll deal with all three things you put to me as quickly as I possibly can.

“Firstly, on clothing in a busy election campaign, as we’ve had this year where I’m across the country pretty well all the time, we had lots of people coming forward say, I can help.

“And some people came forward and said, I can help by donating to get your clothes so you don’t have to worry about that and get on with it.”

Mr Robinson interjected: “The principle that people are talking about is: ‘buy your own stuff.’”

Sir Keir continued: “I won’t be making declarations in relation to clothing, again, understood.

“In relation to the second example you put to me, football, I’ve bought season tickets in the stand, and I’ve them had a long time, and I go with my boy, who’s 16.

“As a result of security, I can’t go in the stand, so Arsenal Football Club said, ‘Be our guest in the director’s box if and when you can get to a match.

“And that actually is a ticket you can’t buy. People say, ‘Well, why don’t you pay for it?’ You can’t buy a ticket in the director’s box, but it means I can continue to do something which is really special to me, which is to go to football with my boy.”

Referring to a £20,000 donation of accommodation, by Lord Waheed Ali, he continued: “Let me just tell you what that was for. That was because at the beginning of the election, and we didn’t know when it’s going to be called, my boy, 16, was in the middle of his GCSEs.

“I made him a promise, a promise that he would be able to get to his school and do his exams without being disturbed.

“We had lots of journalists outside our house where we live. I’m not complaining about that, that’s fine. But if you’re a 16-year-old trying to do your GCSEs, and it’s your one chance in life, I promised him we would move somewhere, we’d get out of that house and go somewhere where he could be peacefully studying.

“Somebody then offered me accommodation where we could do that, and I took it up and it was the right thing to do for my book.

“My primary concern was about making sure that my boy could do his GCSEs without having to wade through loads of journalists outside the house.”

Mr Robinson continued to push Sir Keir on the general principle, saying: “Is it time to say politicians pay for their own stuff, and is it time to say to Lord Ali, who’s a long time supporter of the Labour Party, who’s no doubt doing it for all the right and best reasons, thanks for everything you’ve given us, but enough, we can’t do that anymore?”

Sir Keir said: “Well, I think, in relation to clothing, I’ve taken my decision, which is that, in opposition, it is important just to get on with the job of getting to that election. But we’re in government now. We’ve turned a page so there won’t be donations for clothing.

“In relation to the other things. I think it’s a question of exercising judgment. The culture Secretary, for example, will be invited to events.

“Quite often, the support of a politician being somewhere is important for a particular event or sport, but it’s a question of judgment, and it’s got to be clear.

“It’s got to be declared and you, of course, have got to have the opportunity to then ask questions of us about it and quite right too.”