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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Dan Bloom

Jeremy Hunt and Dominic Raab risk losing seats with pensions triple lock betrayal

Top Tories Jeremy Hunt and Dominic Raab face losing their seats if the Tories betray 12.3million pensioners with a real-terms cut, analysis shows.

The Chancellor and Deputy Prime Minister are among Cabinet ministers with far more state pensioners in their seat than their majority.

That means they risk being ousted if they scrap the triple lock and spark a mass revolt by pensioners, many of whom historically vote Conservative.

Mr Hunt has an 8,817 majority and 21,087 state pension claimants in South West Surrey, the Labour analysis says.

Mr Raab has 19,122 state pensioners but a majority of only 2,743 in Esher and Walton.

Labour will ramp up pressure on Tories on Tuesday night to keep the triple lock in a Commons vote - challenging backbenchers to defy the government.

Betrayal of 12.3million pensioners over the state pension triple lock would cost Brits £443 a year (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The non-binding vote calls on the government to “commit to maintaining” the triple lock “as promised in the manifesto”.

It comes after Rishi Sunak repeatedly refused to pledge pensions will rise by the triple lock - the highest of inflation, earnings or 2.5% - in April 2023.

With inflation at 10.1%, there are fears he will use next Thursday’s Autumn Statement to announce they will rise by 5.5% earnings instead.

That would break a Tory manifesto pledge and deprive people on the New State Pension of £443 a year.

There are also reports he could scrap the triple lock altogether from 2025, as he seeks to slash £33bn from services and raise £21bn in taxes by 2027.

Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Jon Ashworth said: “The Tories have crashed the economy and are threatening to make pensioners pay the price.”

The Tory front bench (AFP via Getty Images)

Labour analysis found 286 out of 356 Tory MPs, including 21 Cabinet ministers, had more state pension claimants in their seat than their majority in 2019.

That included all 52 MPs who won seats from Labour at the 2019 general election, Labour said.

The most at-risk Cabinet minister is Scottish Secretary Alister Jack, who has 23,392 state pensioner constituents and a 1,805 majority, Labour said.

He is followed by Mr Raab and Jeremy Hunt.

Chief Whip Simon Hart - who would be in charge of persuading rebellious Tories to back a cut - is the fifth most at-risk Cabinet minister.

Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride is the 10th most at risk.

A binding vote on benefit and pension rises is only due in February.

But Mr Ashworth said: “Today’s vote is a key test for Tory MPs: Will they keep their election promise or once again betray the pensioners they’re supposed to represent?

“Older people have already endured the largest ever real-terms cut to their State Pension and now face being another £440 worse off under the Tories.

“Labour will block any attempt by the Tories to break the Triple Lock for next year.”

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