Mess with our beloved triple lock at your peril

ANDY Burnham will face electoral catastrophe if he enrages everyone who cares about older Britons by unpicking a vital defence against pensioner poverty.

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The Prime Minister-in-waiting has surrounded himself with advisers who want to scrap the triple lock, which ensures the state pension goes up by whatever is highest - 2.5%, inflation or average earnings.

Mr Burnham should make it clear to his aides and to the country that he will not betray pensioners. Removing this safeguard against destitution in old age would be a travesty and shred remaining support for Labour.