Andy Burnham risks Labour row as scrapping of triple lock dubbed 'electoral suicide and absolute disaster'

Andy Burnham has risked a Labour row over growing opposition to any plan to scrap the state pension triple lock to help fund free social care, with Unite general secretary Sharon Graham warning that doing so would be “electoral suicide”.

The triple lock guarantees that state pensions rise annually by the highest of inflation, average earnings or 2.5 per cent.

Senior Labour figures remain divided over whether it should be reformed after the next election.

Ms Graham argued that Britain already spends less on pensions than other G7 countries and said abandoning the policy would send “the completely wrong message”.

She told The Times: “We’re the lowest in the G7 in terms of how much we spend on pensions. I think that’s an embarrassment, quite frankly, because we’re one of the six richest economies in the world.

"I think it would be an absolute disaster, it would send completely the wrong message. I cannot understand why we keep going back to pensioners.”

Women and equalities minister Bridget Phillipson has also opposed the idea, warning against “intergenerational warfare”.

However, Secretary of State for Scotland Douglas Alexander said younger people were receiving a “really raw deal”, suggesting the Government would need to balance competing priorities.

Chancellor John Healey has declined to rule out reform, ahead of his Autumn Budget next month.

Mr Burnham is today expected to argue that Britain cannot continue with “politics-as-usual”, in his first speech as Prime Minister to a Labour conference.

He will pledge to have an “honest conversation” with voters over the “difficult issues” that have been ignored for too long by Westminster, highlighting social care, youth unemployment and public control of energy, water and housing.

Economists warn that scrapping the triple lock would produce limited short-term savings.

Former Institute for Fiscal Studies director Paul Johnson said noticeable savings could take a decade, while comprehensive free social care would require a substantial hike in taxation.

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Lucy Powell pledges pension perks around the corner as she doubles down on commitment to triple lock

Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell has declined to say whether the party could abandon the state pension triple lock, as discussions continue over how Andy Burnham’s social care proposals could be funded.

Ms Powell, who is also Education Secretary, said Labour remained committed to the triple lock, and pointed to the policy’s inclusion in Labour’s 2024 manifesto which had delivered significant increases for pensioners.

Speaking to Sky News, Ms Powell said pensioners could expect their state pension to rise by around £2,000 a year over the course of the current Parliament, describing this as important for ensuring their incomes remain secure.

However, when repeatedly asked whether Chancellor John Healey and Mr Burnham were considering ending the triple lock, Ms Powell did not give a direct answer.

She said she did not know what Mr Burnham would announce, but stressed that addressing major issues such as the social care crisis would require an open discussion about funding.

Ms Powell acknowledged that such reforms would come at a cost, saying the Government could not resolve the social care crisis without discussing how the necessary measures would be paid for.