HUNT'S OLIVE BRANCH TO 'FEARFUL' PENSIONERS

Chancellor vows to protect retirees under sweeping reforms

- Sam Lister

JEREMY Hunt has responded to criticism that pensioners were "neglected" in last week's spring Budget by vowing to protect retirees' interests.

The Chancellor insists his intention to end national insurance will be delivered without "harming" the retired after Labour claimed it would mean the end of the state pension.

Mr Hunt offered the olive branch as insiders suggested the triple lock that increases payments will be kept at the next general election.

The Chancellor told the Daily Express: "Since the autumn, we've put an extra £900 cash back into the average pocket of Express readers through tax cuts while taking 170,000 working families out of paying the high income child benefit charge altogether.

"And over the long run we want to do more by scrapping national insurance entirely, bringing an end to the unfairness of paying tax twice on the work you do.

"Our plan is to do this when it's responsible without harming pensioners or damaging funding for the NHS and other public services." Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves was accused of scaremongering earlier this week after she claimed national insurance contributions fund state pensions and the NHS.

But neither is the dependent on the tax and Government can use any cash raised by taxation to meet its commitments.