The triple lock is not some Westminster gimmick. It is about providing security and dignity for people who worked hard all their lives.
So when Labour’s new messiah, Andy Burnham, is taking advice from people who insist it should be scrapped, alarm bells should be ringing in households across Britain.
Let’s be clear about what is at stake. Pensioners cannot simply work extra shifts to make ends meet. They cannot ask for a promotion, take on a second job, or boost their earnings when prices rise. Their pension is often the difference between security and anxiety, dignity and hardship.
We have been here before. Under the last Labour government, Britain had the fourth-highest level of pensioner poverty in Europe. The triple lock helped turn that around. It ensured that, after years of being left behind, pensioners had the protection they deserve.
Yet now some of those around the soon-to-be Prime Minister seem willing to pull away that safety net.
At a time when energy bills remain high, food prices have risen sharply, and millions are worried about the cost of living, this is precisely the wrong debate to be having. Pensioners need certainty, not lectures about affordability from a Labour Government that always has the money for those unwilling to work.
The triple lock is not a luxury. It is a recognition of a simple truth: if you have worked hard, paid your taxes and contributed to society for decades, retirement should not mean falling behind year after year.
Andy Burnham should stand with pensioners and rule out any attempt to weaken or scrap the triple lock.
The Conservatives are clear. We introduced the triple lock in government. We maintained it. We support it today. And we will continue to fight for it tomorrow.
Sir Mel Stride is the Shadow Chancellor
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