Off The Fence with Stephen Morgan, Portsmouth South MP: 'We will protect the pension triple lock'

The over-85s will double, and one in four babies born today are set to reach 100 years old.

The fact that we are living longer is something we should celebrate and look forward to without fear. Yet for too many pensioners in our city and across the country, this is simply not the case.

As the Centre for Ageing Better says: a financially secure and healthy later life is becoming increasingly unlikely for millions of people.

I’m proud that the last Labour Government made huge strides in tackling pensioner poverty and improving workplace pensions – lifting more than one million pensioners out of poverty, introducing the State Second Pension and bringing in Pension Credit to boost the incomes of the poorest pensioners.

Looking back on Labour’s proud record on pensions, the contrast with the current Government is clear.

Just in this Parliament we have seen billions wiped off pension funds by Liz Truss’s disastrous mini Budget, a devastating cost-of-living crisis that has hit ordinary people and pensioners hard, and chaos over the triple lock.

That’s why I worked with the Pompey Pensioners Association to lobby for the free TV licence to remain and why I launched a Pension Credit Awareness campaign ahead of another difficult winter for pensioners on the lowest income, to ensure those who are eligible apply for Pension Credit topped up their income.

I know how vital the triple lock has been in protecting pensioners’ incomes and providing certainty in retirement for those in our city, which is why I have continued to defend it when the Tories sought to break their promises to pensioners.

The Tories are no longer the party of pensioners – but Labour in government will be.

Our commitment to delivering dignity and security in retirement is unwavering. That is why a strong and growing economy, more decent, well-paid jobs and financial security in retirement are at the heart of our future plans.

That’s why we have guaranteed that the pensions triple lock will be in the Labour manifesto and protected for the duration of the next parliament.

As a Portsmouth MP, I will continue working tirelessly to give pensioners in our city the security in retirement you need and deserve.