28 April 2024 , 10:18
580
0
Keir Starmer has confirmed the pensions triple lock will be kept in place for at least the next five years if he becomes PM.
The Labour leader said the commitment will be included in his party’s election manifesto so Britain's retirees can "enjoy their golden years".
In an article for the Express, Mr Starmer said: “Britain’s pensioners deserve certainty, and for politicians to be straight with them so they can plan their lives. That's why the pensions triple lock will be in the Labour manifesto and protected for the duration of the next parliament.
"That guarantee will ensure pensioners can enjoy their golden years. Money to spend on the grandkids, on days out, on holidays - all the things that bring colour to our lives." He also said the Government can cover the cost, saying: "I reject the arguments of those who say the triple lock needs to go because we can no longer afford to protect pensioners."
Under the triple lock the state pension rises each year in line with the highest out of 2.5 per cent, wage rises or inflation. The state pension went up by 8.5% this month. This meant the full basic state pension for men born after April 1951 and women born after April 1953 rose from £203.85 per week to £221.17. Rishi Sunak also has said the Conservatives will maintain the commitment.
Date millions on Universal Credit and benefits will get a pay rise this year
Asked about the new commitment on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting said Labour wanted to give pensioners "certainty". He said: "We will protect the triple lock. It's currently built into the Government baseline. But this is a Conservative Party that's saying they are going to scrap national insurance, create a £46billion blackhole, without saying how they will pay for it."
Labour has also launched an advertising blitz to try and win over older voters.It is running attack ads that ask: “How will Rishi Sunak fund his £46billion plan to abolish National Insurance? Will he cut funding for pensions and the NHS? Or will he hike taxes for millions of pensioners? You can't afford more Tory chaos.”
Director of Silver Voices, Dennis Reed, told The Mirror: "We're extremely reassured and relieved about the statement actually. Without saying what the result of the general election will be both the potential future Government and potential future Opposition are both committed to the triple lock for the whole five years of the next Parliament and that is extremely reassuring for millions of older people.
"Hopefully it will mean that the politics is taken out of the triple lock for a five-year period. Every single year there has been some sort of threat or proposals that the triple lock wouldn't be implemented and it's very upsetting for people who are on the state pension."
But he added the state pension was still "very low" and stressed people relying on the payment are still struggling. "I think we now need to look at some of the problems with the state pension, including the growing gap between the old state pension and the new state pension, which is now £51-a-week. But overall it's a really positive step forward and we applaud the Labour Party for making this statement."
On Sunday Labour's former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell welcomed the "tremendous" commitment to pensioners. But he also insisted the party should also scrap the Tories' controversial two-child benefit limit that could lift 250,000 households out of poverty. Last year Mr Starmer faced intense criticism for saying Labour would keep the policy, which restricts payments to larger families, if he wins power.