Lib Dems will keep pensions protection – Farron
THE Liberal Democrat manifesto will include a commitment to keep the “triple lock” protection for state pensions, party leader Tim Farron has announced.
But the Lib Dems would strip wealthier pensioners of the winter fuel allowance, at a cost of up to £300 a year to older people.
Labour has also pledged to retain the triple lock, which guarantees the state pension will rise in line with inflation, average earnings or 2.5%, whichever is the highest.
But speculation is rife Conservatives will ditch the guarantee.
Mr Farron is likely to come under fire over the winter fuel allowance from Labour, which earlier this year promised to keep the benefit, worth between £100 and £300 tax-free a year towards the heating bills of all
T over-65s, regardless of wealth.
Lib Dems argue the change will HERESA May has insisted just mean rich pensioners losing she is “taking nothing for “perks they do not need”. granted” following emphatic
Meanwhile, the triple-lock promlocal election victories ise would mean the £122.30 weekly which have sparked predictions she state pension rising to at least £137.15 is heading for a landslide in the by 2021. June 8 General Election.
Mr Farron said: “The Liberal DemThe Prime Minister’s comment ocrats believe that an important test came as Labour leader Jeremy Corof a civilised society is the way in byn acknowledged he faces “a chalwhich it cares for the elderly.” lenge on a historic scale” to turn
The triple lock was a feature of the round polling figures which suggest Liberal Democrat manifesto in 2010 he is headed for defeat. and a key demand in negotiations on Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farthe formation of the coalition govron said that this week’s elections ernment with Conservatives. showed Labour was “finished” as a
Since its introduction in 2010, it viable opposition to a Conservative has seen pensioner incomes rise fastParty which was heading for a lander than average earnings. slide majority larger than those en
A cross-party House of Commons joyed by Margaret Thatcher in the select committee report earlier this 1980s. year described it as “inherently unSpeaking during a campaign visit sustainable” and recommended it to Wolverhampton, where the Tories should not be continued beyond won the contest for West Midlands 2020. metro mayor, Mrs May said: “I’m very grateful for the support that we received in the local elections... but the question people now face in the General Election is: Who should lead the country for the next five years – me or Jeremy Corbyn?
“Not a single vote has been cast in that election yet and none of the votes cast yesterday will count on June 8 in the General Election.
“In the minds of European politicians there isn’t a mandate to take into the Brexit negotiations.
“I’m taking nothing for granted over the next five weeks.
“I need support from across the United Kingdom to strengthen my hand and only a vote for me and my team will ensure that Britain has the strong and stable leadership we need in order to ensure we get the best deal for Britain from Brexit.”
Addressing supporters in Leicester Mr Corbyn acknowledged that the local election results – which saw Labour shed 320 councillors and lose control of seven authorities, including Glasgow – were “disappointing” but insisted that “the gap between us and the Tories is not as great as the pundits have been saying”.
He called on supporters to “seize the moment” by campaigning hard over the next five weeks to transform the party’s prospects.
And he said that if Labour won there would be “a reckoning” with big businesses and bankers who had stripped industrial assets, crashed the economy and ripped off consumers and workers.
“This election could be a great and proud moment in our national story,” said Mr Corbyn.
“Don’t wake up on June 9 to see celebrations from the tax cheats, the press barons, the greedy bankers, Philip Green, the Southern Rail directors and crooked bankers that take our wealth, who have got away with it because the party they own, the Conservative Party, has won.
“We have five weeks to ruin their party. We have five weeks to have a chance to take our money back. We have five weeks to win so we can transform Britain for the many, not the few.”
Despite the strong Conservative showing in Thursday’s polls the party did not make the inroads some had predicted in Wales.
While they took outright control in Monmoutshire, Labour was able to retain power in Cardiff, Swansea and Newport.
This came just a fortnight after a shock YouGov poll put the Conservatives significantly ahead of Labour in terms of parliamentary support.