The triple lock is at risk after Starmer appoints a pensions minister who called for it to be scrapped, You Won’t Believe Why

Torsten Bell, the newly appointed pensions minister under Sir Keir Starmer, has faced criticism for his past comments about abolishing the “triple lock,” a system designed to protect pensioners’ incomes.

The triple lock guarantees that the state pension will increase each year by the highest of inflation, average earnings, or 2.5%, ensuring pensioners maintain their standard of living.

In 2020, while leading the Resolution Foundation think tank, Bell called the triple lock “indefensible” and suggested it should be replaced.

He argued that pensioners’ benefits were increasing much faster than those for working-age people and claimed this created an unfair balance. Bell urged the government to focus more on improving support for working-age benefits, which he said had been losing value over time.

Dennis Reed, from the pensioner advocacy group Silver Voices, expressed serious concern about Bell’s appointment. He stated that the Resolution Foundation, under Bell’s leadership, promoted the idea that older generations were better off financially than younger people, creating unnecessary conflict between generations.

Reed also warned that this could backfire politically, as many older voters supported Labour in the last election and might change their stance if they feel ignored or targeted.

This controversy is part of a larger pattern of decisions by the Labour government that some believe harm pensioners. For example, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves recently ruled out compensating WASPI women (those affected by changes to the state pension age) and announced that winter fuel payments would be means-tested, further frustrating older voters.

Bell’s critics have also pointed to his political history as a former adviser to Ed Miliband. He is remembered for his role in the poorly received “Ed stone” campaign during the 2015 general election, where Labour’s policies were carved onto a giant stone tablet in an effort to symbolize commitment but instead became widely mocked.

The Treasury has not commented on Bell’s new role or his previous statements about pensions. However, many are now questioning whether Labour’s policies will protect pensioners or risk alienating a crucial voting group. Reed emphasized that pensioners could play a decisive role in the next election, and turning against them may hurt the party’s chances.