SCOTTISH Labour leader Anas Sarwar says he understands the frustrations of local pensioners who are upset about plans to cut back winter fuel payments – but insists his party will put more money in their pockets than they take out.

The Telegraph quizzed the MSP yesterday as he paid a visit to Kempock Street alongside his party’s Gourock by-election candidate, Ian Hellyer.

Mr Sarwar fielded questions relating to the UK Labour government’s decision to cut universal winter fuel payments for pensioners south of the border, which the Scottish government said left it no choice but to follow suit.

He also said he believed there was a case for Inverclyde to get specific investment to help address its ongoing issues around deprivation and jobs.

Anas Sarwar on the Gourock by-election campaign trail on Wednesday. (Image: George Munro) Asked what he would say to Gourock pensioners affected by the winter fuel payment decision, Mr Sarwar said: “To put it bluntly, we got rid of the cranks, and we’re picking up the damage left by the cranks.

“That’s going to mean tough choices and difficult decisions, but we’re going to do it in a way that’s about attracting investment, delivering growth, not returning to austerity, not thinking we could just squeeze those working people with even higher levels of taxation.

“One of the things we want to get clear about is by the time we get to April, two-pensioner households' income is going to have increased by almost £2,600, at the same time as some of them will be losing a payment of £200 or £300.

“We are significantly increasing the money going into people’s pockets.

“I understand people are frustrated with the winter fuel payment decision, but we are very clear we’re putting more money into pensioner’s pockets through our commitment to the triple lock.

“And let’s not let the SNP off the hook on their own record here in Scotland and the idea that all the problems facing our country is because of a government that’s been in power for three months and not one that’s been in for 17 years. I don’t think that’s credible.”

Mr Sarwar was also asked whether he felt there was cause for specific investment in Inverclyde, given the recent job losses which have seen more than 1,200 local jobs disappear in the last 18 months.

He said: “The challenge we have had is that you had a UK Tory government that was announcing lots of pots of money for lots of communities as political announcements without having actually pitched to the treasury for the money or having decided or secured where the money was going to come from.

“That in itself poses a massive challenge in terms of how we clean up the mess they’ve left behind.

“Do we have to have a growth plan for wider Inverclyde and Gourock? Of course we do.

“Do we have to have a greater partnership between local authority, Scottish government, UK government and local businesses? Yes, we absolutely do.

“We need a serious and credible plan and that’s something sorely lacking for the last 14 years from the UK Tory government and 17 years from the SNP government. We’re determined to get to grips with that.”