Blue on blue: Tory infighting erupts over triple lock pension petition

Tory infighting has erupted over a petition alleging Labour pledged to "cut" the state pension following its triple lock reforms. At the party conference, Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced his proposal to reform the triple lock pension if Labour were in power after the next election. The state pension would still rise each year under the new proposal where the benefit would increase by whichever is highest out of inflation or 2.5 percent.

The Conservatives responded to the announcement by sharing a post on X, which stated that Labour was cutting pensions for millions, accompanied by a picture of an elderly woman appearing distressed. However, the post has been criticized by various former party members for being misleading. Former Brexit minister Steve Baker expressed his disappointment with the Conservative party for using the word "cut" in their post.

He stated, "The Conservatives ought to do better and I'm thankful I'm free to say so." David Gauke, a former work and pensions secretary under Theresa May and later an independent MP, refuted the claim that Labour was cutting pensions, stating that the triple lock reform is sensible. Several Tory MPs privately admitted that the triple lock pension was unsustainable for public finances.

In 2021, Andrew Griffith, a shadow chancellor, wrote an article criticizing the state pension triple lock, claiming it was unfair as pensioners could benefit from others' misfortune. Former Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, who remains an MP, described the triple lock system as an "anchor drag on economic growth." Shadow foreign secretary Tom Tugendhat also opposed the triple lock, which remains in the Tories' plans.