'Tamper with the triple lock at your peril!'

Warning to party leaders as they refuse to guarantee keeping vital pension protection

- Martyn Brown Political Editor

SIR Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage have been told they will mess with the pensions triple lock “at their peril”.

The message from campaigners comes as fears grow that the flagship policy’s days could be numbered because of mounting costs.

A string of politicians, think tanks and analysts have said the benefit — which links the annual state pension rise to whichever is the highest of average wage rises, inflation or 2.5% — is becoming unaffordable.

They believe it has to be changed, or even scrapped. But pensioners’ groups insist the guarantee must be safeguarded despite economic woes.

Attacks

Silver Voices director, Dennis Reed, said: “It is depressing that, despite all-party support in their last manifestos, we see mounting attacks on the triple lock in the media and from think tanks and equivocation on its future from politicians.”

He added: “No major party leader has committed to the future of the lock beyond 2029.

“Politicians will tamper with the triple lock at their peril, as we can guarantee massive public support if we need to call on it”