Labour has refused to rule out means testing the triple lock following a row with Kemi Badenoch over the state pension.
Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesman insisted on Friday he is “committed” to the policy but could not guarantee it will exist in its present form for the whole of the current Parliament.
The triple lock ensures the state pension rises in line with either inflation, average wage rises or 2.5 per cent – whichever is highest.
Labour is claiming Mrs Badenoch wants to cut the state pension after she said redistributing funds from those who “do not need it” was “the sort of thing” her party will look at.
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But the Tory leader replied “no” when asked specifically whether she would revisit the triple lock. Her party subsequently accused Labour of spreading “fake news”.
Asked on Friday whether the state pension triple lock was unaffordable, Sir Keir’s official spokesman replied: “So the Prime Minister is committed both to the triple lock and the principle of people receiving a state pension based on the contribution they have made over their lifetime, regardless of wealth.”
Challenged on whether Sir Keir could rule out considering means testing the state pension, the spokesman said: “Well, I’ve just said our commitment to the triple lock is clear.
“The principle of receiving the state pension based on the contribution they have made over their lifetime is clear. I don’t think we can be much clearer than that.”
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Asked whether the triple lock would be in place for the whole of this Parliament – which is most likely to run until 2029, when the next election is expected – Sir Keir’s spokesman replied: “Well look, I don’t think I can add anything more to what I’ve just said.”
Pressed for a fourth time, the spokesman said: “As I say, the Prime Minister is committed to both the triple lock and the principle of people receiving the state pension based on the contribution over their lifetime, regardless of wealth. That is the commitment.”
Labour doubled down on its claims about Mrs Badenoch on Friday, insisting she had “let the mask slip” on her plans for the state pension.
But in a post on X on Thursday night, the Conservatives accused Sir Keir’s party of “lying” and went on to clarify: “We will look at means testing. But the Conservatives have always protected the triple lock.”
Torsten Bell, Labour’s new pensions minister, once proposed scrapping the triple lock as well as valuable tax reliefs on the retirement savings of higher earners.
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Mr Bell’s appointment on Wednesday as part of a mini-reshuffle that followed the resignation of Tulip Siddiq prompted the Tories to warn the “triple lock was under threat”.
In 2020, he advocated replacing the triple lock with a different system that would allow for “short-term deviations” in the state pension in order to protect its value.
The state pension is currently on track to become taxable by 2028, although no plans have been announced that would match a Tory pledge of a higher tax-free personal allowance for retirees.
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