OAPS warned Labour may not commit to triple-lock pension rises after general election
OAPS were warned Labour refuses to promise triple-lock pension rises after the general election.
Shadow Cabinet minister Pat McFadden would not guarantee to match whichever is highest — inflation, average wage increases or 2.5 per cent.
He told BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg: “The triple lock’s raised pensions quite a lot.
“All of these big-ticket items are going to depend on the state of the economy at the time.
“The manifesto will take that into account when the election comes probably in a year’s time.”
The Government also refuses to guarantee the triple lock long-term.
The triple lock brought in by David Cameron’s coalition government puts up pensions each year by whatever is higher of wages, inflation or 2.5 per cent.
Former Tory leader William Hague, who is a close mentor of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, has advocated scrapping the system.
McFadden also didn’t commit to the full original route of the HS2 high speed rail link.
There has been speculation that the second stage of the route – north of Birmingham to Manchester – could be scrapped to save £34 billion.
He added: “I want to see what this costs and we’ll make those decisions when it comes to the manifesto.”
Labour are ahead in the polls with a lead of some 15 points with a general election set for next year.