Robert Jenrick has launched a scathing attack on Andy Burnham’s decision to scrap the triple lock, accusing the Prime Minister of “turning on pensioners”.
Speaking to GB News, the Reform UK Treasury Spokesman declared it a “complete lie” to target pensioners in favour of funding a new social care project.
Announcing the changes at the Labour Party Conference, Mr Burnham said: “So this is the deal. A state pension that rises every year, no care charges and a high quality national care service to give peace of mind in later life.
“Conference, I am going to go out and argue for that, a good deal for our pensioners and for older people in the 21st century, and I will do it.
“I will do it in memory of my dad and out of complete respect for everyone who cared for him.”
Reacting to the announcement, Mr Jenrick told GB News that the move would only save “£4billion” and put pensioners out of pocket.
He said: “What Andy Burnham is proposing, which is cutting your pension, is going to save about £4billion.
“So the point here is that not only is he coming after pensioners and cutting their pension by scrapping the triple lock, but that doesn’t even touch the sides of the amount of money he’s got to raise to fund this project that he wants to pursue.
Robert Jenrick has hit out at Andy Burnham’s ‘complete lies’ after announcing he is axing the triple lock
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GB NEWS / PA
“So he’s got to come back for something like £15billion of extra tax rises, so it feels to me it’s a double whammy on pensioners.”
The Reform MP stressed Mr Burnham could also “come for pensioners a second time” with his proposed “death tax”.
He said: “He’s going to cut your pension and then he’s going to come after you a second time, probably for his death tax, which is what he’s advocated in the past, which is where you’re trying to leave your nest egg, your house, your savings to your kids or your grandkids, and then suddenly there’s a universal tax on everyone.
“Rich or poor alike has to pay it, so you’ll be taxed on your life, your pension is going to be reduced, and then you try and hand on what you’ve saved your whole life, and that’s taxed as well. What is this problem with pensioners?
Andy Burnham has revealed a major triple lock shake-up in his Labour Party Conference speech | PA
“Does this man hate pensioners, who are the people who’ve worked hard their whole lives? Juggled jobs, scrimped and saved and now they’re going to find their pension is cut – and what they’re simply expected to hand on to their kids is going to be taxed as well.”
Detailing Reform policy, Mr Jenrick made clear that under a Nigel Farage Government, funds would be raised by “cutting foreign aid” rather than “targeting pensioners”.
He explained: “He’s picking on pensioners, but he’s not willing to do what Reform would do, cut foreign aid for rich countries, and stop the net zero subsidies. No benefits to foreigners.
“And as you rightly say, get some of these people who are choosing not to work back into the workplace. We found £80billion of savings of all this colossal waste that we see, so it’s a complete lie to say that even if you wanted to fund this social care project of his, you have to turn on the pensioners.
Mr Jenrick told GB News that the Government is ‘turning on pensioners’ again
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GB NEWS
“They shouldn’t be first in line when there’s all these other things that you could be doing. But for him, he obviously does not care about pensioners. He’s not prepared to do any of those difficult decisions.”
Pressed on whether Reform would “commit to keeping the triple lock”, Mr Jenrick told GB News that they would.
He made clear: “I’m happy to give this assurance to GB News viewers right now. The next manifesto of Reform, going to the next general election, we’ll keep the triple lock.
“If I am the Chancellor, if Nigel Farage is the Prime Minister, we will keep the triple lock for the whole of the next parliament.”