Lib Dem MPs criticise Davey over pension triple lock response
Liberal Democrat MPs are publicly and privately criticizing party leader Sir Ed Davey for his defense of the pension triple lock. The internal dissent follows Davey's rejection of Prime Minister Andy Burnham's proposal to adjust the policy to fund social care.
Why it matters
Internal party conflict over pension policy highlights the political difficulty of balancing fiscal reform with voter protection in the UK.
Image source, PA Media By Harry Farley Political correspondent Published 57 minutes ago Liberal Democrat MPs have criticised their party leader over his defence of the pension triple lock.
Senior Lib Dems, who are on the party's frontbench, have privately attacked Sir Ed Davey for his response to the prime minister's plans to adjust the policy , which guarantees the state pension goes up each year in line with either inflation, wage increases, or 2.5% – whichever is highest.
They joined unsolicited criticism in public and private from others in the party, with one saying the majority of Lib Dem MPs disagree with their leader.
It comes after Sir Ed told the BBC removing the triple lock "would put more pensioners into poverty".
"This would mean people who are working hard now - the millennials - when they retire would have a very poor pension," he told the Today programme.
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