LONDON: Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron promised yesterday to protect pensioners’ income if his Conservative party wins the 2015 election, laying out his first manifesto spending pledge.
Coming at a time when Britain is facing years of cuts to public spending, the promise is designed to win the support of the country’s elderly — who polling data show are more likely to vote in elections than younger people.
Cameron said he would extend the current ‘triple lock’ on pension payments, which ensures they rise at the pace of either inflation or wage increases — whichever rate is higher — and by a minimum of 2.5 percent per year.
“In a civilised society ... knowing you’re going to have a decent state pension ... is, I think, a really powerful thing,” Cameron said in an interview with the Sunday Times. He said the policy was the “first plank” of his election manifesto.
The existing triple-lock system was agreed in 2010 with the Liberal Democrat Party, the junior partner in Britain’s coalition government, and is also supported by the Labour party, but neither have yet pledged to continue it after 2015.
AFP
