Chancellor Rachel Reeves has sparked fury by claiming that pensioners are 'better off' under her leadership, prompting Conservative critics to accuse her of 'gaslighting' the elderly. The claim was made during a television interview where Reeves insisted that older people have been protected during her tenure.
Reeves' Defence of Her Record
Speaking on the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Reeves stated: 'I have had to make hundreds and hundreds of choices as Chancellor, and they haven't always been easy choices.' She added that pensioners have received two increases in the state pension, which are 'significantly higher than the increase in prices.' Reeves concluded: 'I do know that pensioners are better off after two years of this Labour government.'
Conservative Backlash
Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Helen Whately strongly rejected the claim, saying: 'Rachel Reeves is gaslighting pensioners once again.' She pointed out that many pensioners are being dragged into paying tax due to Reeves' policies, combined with rising prices and high energy bills. Whately also reminded readers of the winter fuel allowance row, stating: 'Labour showed their true colours when they tried to take the winter fuel allowance from millions of pensioners.'
Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride was equally critical, declaring: 'I am afraid her score card is very low when it comes to securing the economic future of our country.' He warned that little would improve after Reeves is replaced, with Andy Burnham 'clearly going to lean more into tax, more into borrowing.'
Labour's Internal Admission
However, Labour MP Miatta Fahnbulleh, a close ally of the incoming Prime Minister, admitted that 'people are impatient for change,' conceding that the 'pace and scale of it needs to be much greater to meet the demands of the country.' Meanwhile, Andy Burnham has previously affirmed his commitment to the triple lock on the state pension, stating in a Q&A online that he would stand by it as a manifesto commitment from 2024.
