Andy Burnham has confirmed his plans to maintain the State Pension triple lock if he becomes Prime Minister, during a Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) question and answer session. The Makerfield MP said it is 'important' to continue the Labour manifesto commitment to uphold the triple lock on the State Pension.
Triple Lock Details and Recent Increase
The triple lock ensures the State Pension increases every April in line with whichever is the highest of earnings growth between May and July, inflation in September, or 2.5%. This mechanism is designed to prevent the value of pensions from being eroded by cost of living pressures. In April, the State Pension increased by 4.8%, in line with wage growth for May to July. Other DWP benefits were uprated by 3.8% in line with inflation, and the UK minimum wage rose by 4.1% for those aged 21 and older.
Reddit AMA and Political Context
During the AMA, Burnham answered a variety of questions, including whether he would call a general election, if he is hiding from the press, and what indie band he is listening to. He stated he would not renege on Labour's manifesto pledge to maintain the triple lock. "I appreciate there's a lot of debate about this but it is important that the commitment in the manifesto stands," he wrote.
Burnham is expected to become Prime Minister within weeks after Sir Keir Starmer vowed to step down. The triple lock has faced controversy, with calls to cut it from figures including the Government's cost-of-living champion. Lord Walker of Broxton, executive chairman of Iceland supermarket, told a debate on youth unemployment that the state pension policy was unaffordable and decried inaction by successive governments. He said: "Let's jettison the worn-out stereotype of who it is that constitutes the biggest drain on our benefits system. We should have the courage to challenge the pensions triple lock – mathematically unsustainable, politically untouchable, and profoundly unfair. We all know it."
Cost and Criticism of Triple Lock
The pensions triple lock was introduced by the coalition government in 2010 after long-held fears about pensioner poverty. However, it has come under recent criticism over costs to the public. The Government had projected it would spend £146.1 billion on it in 2025 and 2026.
Electoral Reform and Foreign Policy
Elsewhere in the AMA, Burnham suggested he remains a strong supporter of reforming Britain's electoral system. He has previously expressed support for replacing the first-past-the-post system with a form of proportional representation. Asked about his opinion on electoral reform, he said: "I am a strong supporter of electoral reform, partly because I believe it will enable the change to a more collaborative politics, and one that is less about point-scoring and more about problem-solving. I will seek to persuade my own party of the need for a manifesto commitment to it in the next manifesto." Labour's party conference voted to support moving towards a proportional representation voting system in 2022. The party's 2024 manifesto instead focused on extending voting to 16 and 17-year-olds and House of Lords reform.
The likely next Prime Minister also hinted at his approach to foreign policy. He said he would "100%" give the same level of support to Ukraine as Sir Keir Starmer had, and suggested he wanted to continue efforts to broker a closer relationship with the EU.
Tax Policy and Manifesto Commitments
In his first interview since Sir Keir announced his resignation, Burnham said there was room for movement on tax despite pledging to keep Labour's 2024 manifesto commitments not to increase workers' income tax, national insurance, or VAT rates. He told LBC there was room within the manifesto's restrictions to increase taxes on warehouses to help high street businesses such as pubs.
