John Swinney has been accused of "misrepresenting" Andy Burnham's plan to review the triple lock on the state pension to fund a social care revolution.
The Prime Minister used a landmark speech in Liverpool this week to announce he would modify the device used to calculate the annual increase to the state pension - if Labour wins the next general election.
Burnham's pension proposals
Burnham said his plans would see the state pension increase every year at least by inflation or 2.5 per cent - but remove the automatic annual link with average earnings.
The savings would be used to pay for free personal care in England - but the move would likely mean billions more in revenues for the Scottish Government through Barnett consequentials.
The state pension is reserved to the UK Government. But if Labour ministers increased spending in England on a devolved matter - such as personal care - it means more cash would be included in Holyrood's block grant to compensate.
Swinney's claims challenged
Swinney - who has so far failed to spell out if the triple lock would be kept in the event of independence - claimed the move would see pensions increase by £4 billion less in Scotland by 2050, with Scots receiving "no enhancement".
The figure pushed by the SNP leader takes into account Scotland's aging population, the Scottish Government said. But it cannot accurately forecast the rate of inflation over the next 24 years.
Michael Marra, the Scottish Labour leader, said: "The First Minister this morning misrepresented the position of the UK Government on social care reform and finds himself, as a result, on the same side as the Tories and Reform."
Political responses
"He knows that pensions will continue to increase every year. He knows that reforms will result in very significantly increased funding for Scotland," Marra added.
"He knows that money can be spent however the Scottish Government likes, whether on fixing our own social care crisis, on education, or, if he wishes, creating new financial benefits for pensioners."
"All of these reforms, First Minister, are huge issues for the country and we have to change, but we need considered honesty in this debate – that's what people deserve and it's how we should proceed."
Responding to Marra, the First Minister said: "The consequences of the changes announced by the Prime Minister on Tuesday will be that pensioners in Scotland will lose out on £2,000 a year and they will get no enhancement in the provisions proposed by the Prime Minister, because all of that money will be used to pay for social care in England."
"So this Government will act as we always have done to protect social care in Scotland – we need better engagement from the Labour Party about how to take that forward."
Labour peer George Foulkes, reacting on social media, said: "He's getting desperate and resorting to made up 'official' estimates."
