Union leader condemns potential pension triple lock scrapping as ‘morally wrong’

Unite the Union general secretary Sharon Graham has warned Prime Minister Andy Burnham that dismantling the pensions triple lock would be morally indefensible, just days before his inaugural Labour Party conference speech.

The controversy arises amid growing speculation regarding how Burnham plans to fund a new NHS-style social care system. During the system, the state pension increases annually by the highest of three measures: 2.5%, inflation, or average earnings. The policy has been active for 16 years and was a pledge in Labour’s 2024 manifesto.

Graham, a prominent critic of previous Labour governments, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that targeting pensioners for savings would mirror the backlash faced by former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer after the unpopular removal of the Winter Fuel Allowance.

“Instead of trying to pick the pocket of pensioners, we need to move over to the other side of the equation and think about things like wealth taxes way before we try to stop something like the triple lock,” Graham said. She described it as “morally wrong” to reduce the security of individuals receiving approximately £12,500 annually, noting that UK pensions remain the lowest among G7 nations.

In response, Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell reaffirmed her party’s commitment to the triple lock during an appearance on BBC Breakfast. “I can absolutely assure your viewers watching this that we are committed to the triple lock, it’s in our manifesto,” she stated, adding that the policy is set to boost state pension values by roughly £2,000 a year over the current parliament.

Burnham has characterized the current social care landscape in England as fundamentally unfair, comparing it to the US healthcare system where vulnerable citizens can lose everything. While he indicated that “nothing is off the table” regarding funding options, he has yet to confirm specific fiscal measures.

However, former Labour minister Alan Milburn suggested the prime minister is willing to make difficult decisions. Speaking on the BBC’s Political Thinking podcast, Milburn argued that scrapping the triple lock was “the sort of call” Burnham is prepared to take. “Andy is absolutely right about this – the social care system is broken… That is going to be a really big call,” Milburn said.

Beyond social care, Burnham is also expected to announce the creation of Great British Grid, a new public body aimed at investing in Britain’s electricity infrastructure, during his address to the conference.