The "financial mess" in Scotland is the responsibility of the SNP, Sir Keir Starmer has said.
The Prime Minister was quizzed by regional journalists in Westminster on whether voters in Scotland would punish Labour over the party's position on winter fuel payments.
The UK Government announced only those receiving pension credit or other means tested benefits in England and Wales would receive the annual payment of between £100 and £300.
The Scottish Government has since said ministers had no choice but to replicate the policy north of the border.
However, Sir Keir did not say whether he believed Scottish Labour would be punished ahead of the 2026 Holyrood elections.
Recent poll has suggested Anas Sarwar's party could be punished with the popularity plummeting in the polls over the decision.
Instead, the Prime Minister told STV News he believed Mr Sarwar would "make an excellent first minister".
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And he launched a scathing attack on the SNP-run Scottish Government's handling of public finances.
“We inherited a £22bn black hole unaccounted for under the last government and we’ve got to take decisions accordingly," he told STV.
But he added: “I’m not really going to take lectures from the SNP about managing the economy after the mess that they have made in Scotland and the responsibility they bear for the decisions that they have taken.
“It’s all very well pointing fingers and blaming but actually the SNP is responsible for the financial mess in Scotland. They need to take responsibility for that and set out what they’re going to do about it.”
The Survation poll, carried out by Progress Scotland, suggested 31% of general election voters would back Labour, down nine from the firm's last survey in May and down four points on the general election result.
The SNP were also on 31 points on a Westminster level, followed by the Tories on 14%, Reform on 13% and the Lib Dems on 9%.
It followed similar messaging in Scotland, with Finance Secretary Shona Robison announcing cuts of up to £500 million.
During First Minister's Questions, John Swinney accused the Labour government of enforcing "austerity" policies which were exacerbating financial constraints.
Meanwhile, SNP MSP David Torrance has said the Prime Minister had a "brass neck" to lecture the SNP on the country's finances.
He said: “Keir Starmer has a brass neck to lecture the SNP on the state of the economy which has been devastated by 14 years of Westminster austerity and a hard Brexit – neither of which Scotland voted for – and both of which Labour are fully supporting now that they are in power.”
“Recent figures showed that Scotland’s economy is the top performing area in the UK outside London and the South East while earnings in Scotland grew faster than any other part of the UK last year.
“The SNP Scottish Government has made growing the economy one of its key priorities and will continue to do all it can with limited powers to boost economic growth. Keir Starmer’s Labour party would do well to do likewise rather than lecturing others."
Following the 10 year anniversary of the Scottish independence referendum, Sir Keir also told BBC Scotland he would not grant the Scottish Government the ability to hold another vote during his time as prime minister.
He said: “I do actually accept the arguments made in Scotland that we need change, but I think a stronger Scotland within the union is the best way of delivering change at pace and we’re now in a position to do so working with our Scottish colleagues.
“That’s where my focus is on the change which people will feel as we go through, not just the first steps of government but delivering on the big promises that were made.”
“I’ve long said that I don’t think independence is the right way forward for Scotland, I don’t think it’s the right priority.”
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