Key facts
- Kemi Badenoch stated the pension triple lock is current Conservative Party policy.
- The triple lock is included in the Conservative Party's draft manifesto.
- Badenoch defended the triple lock as a reward for pensioners who have contributed.
- Andy Burnham proposed ending the state pension guarantee to fund a national care service.
- Burnham's plans aim to raise £15 billion annually by the end of the 2030s.
Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party, has defended the pension triple lock, stating it is the party's "current" policy and is included in their "draft manifesto." She argued that the policy, which ensures pensioners who have "contributed" are properly rewarded, is a symptom of a larger economic problem rather than the root cause of rising costs.
Badenoch suggested that the focus should be on reviving the UK's economy to address affordability concerns, rather than solely on reforming the pension guarantee. She criticized proposals by Andy Burnham, leader of the Labour Party, to end the existing state pension guarantee, which he hopes would raise £15 billion annually by the end of the 2030s to fund a new national care service.