{"id":607234,"date":"2026-05-27T20:38:31","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T20:38:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/607234\/"},"modified":"2026-05-27T20:38:31","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T20:38:31","slug":"labour-mps-secretly-agree-with-blair-that-state-pension-triple-lock-should-be-axed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/607234\/","title":{"rendered":"Labour MPs secretly agree with Blair that state pension triple lock should be axed"},"content":{"rendered":"

Labour MPs<\/a> agree with former prime minister Sir Tony Blair that the state pension triple lock<\/a> is \u201cunsustainable\u201d and should be axed.<\/p>\n

However, Sir Keir Starmer\u2019s MPs also believe that ditching the annual state pension increase guarantee<\/a> is too politically toxic for the Labour Government to attempt.<\/p>\n

The triple lock policy states that the state pension will rise every year by the same level as inflation, average earnings growth or 2.5 per cent \u2013 whichever is highest<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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courts<\/p>\n

Liverpool goalkeeper fined for using phone while driving<\/p>\n

\"BIRMINGHAM,Caption: BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND \u2013 MAY 15: Giorgi Mamardashvili of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Liverpool at Villa Park on May 15, 2026 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill \u2013 AMA\/Getty Images)
Photographer: Catherine Ivill \u2013 AMA
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: 2026 Catherine Ivill \u2013 AMA<\/p>\n

A Liverpool FC player has been fined \u00a3440 after he was caught by police watching a video on his smartphone while driving on the motorway.<\/p>\n

Georgian goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili was seen by officers holding his phone at the centre of his steering wheel while he was on the M6 near Warrington in January this year. The player did not enter a plea and was convicted on the basis of police written evidence.<\/p>\n

\nWhat you need to know\n<\/p>\n

The 27-year-old player, the first Georgian to play for Liverpool, was caught by police at about 3.45pm on 27 January while driving in his Audi on the M6 motorway.<\/p>\n

In a statement, a Cheshire Police officer said the player was holding a phone. The officer said: \u201cThe driver appeared to be watching something on the screen whilst he was driving at motorway speed.\u201d <\/p>\n

Mamardashvili did not respond to a police prosecution notice and his case was dealt with in a private hearing. As well as being fined he received six penalty points.<\/p>\n

\nA closer look at the background\n<\/p>\n

Mamardashvili is only the latest in a steady flow of drivers being punished by the courts for using a mobile phone while behind the wheel. Between 2022-2025, there was a 21 per cent increase in convictions for the motoring offence.<\/p>\n

\"YoungCaption: Young Asian businessman looking at mobile phone, sitting in a car. Man of style and status in full using smartphone, traveling by a car. Business travel. Mobile navigation on smartphone.
Photographer: Oscar Wong
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Moment RF<\/p>\n

\"YoungCaption: Young woman texting while driving
Photographer: Peter Dazeley
Provider: Getty Images
Source: The Image Bank RF<\/p>\n

It has been illegal to use a phone while driving since 2003; But the law was tightened in 2022 to ensure that only hands-free use is legal. Since last year, AI-powered roadside cameras can identify drivers using phones or not wearing seatbelts.<\/p>\n

\"PENZANCE,(Photo: Matt Cardy\/Getty).<\/p>\n

CONSUMER<\/p>\n

Lidl replaces Morrisons as Britain\u2019s fifth-biggest supermarket chain<\/p>\n

The German-owned discounter increased its sales by nearly 9 per cent in the three months to mid-May, making it the fastest-growing store-based food retailer, according to new figures.<\/p>\n

Lidl now has a record 8.6 per cent market share. The rapid sales growth, fuelled by households tightening their belts amid renewed cost of living pressures, means it has leapfrogged Morrisons (8.3 per cent) as the fifth-largest supermarket.<\/p>\n

\nWhat you need to know\n<\/p>\n

Lidl has emerged as a big winner of shifting food retail patterns as shoppers use promotions to keep costs down. Grocery inflation last month slowed to 3.1 per cent.<\/p>\n

Figures from Worldpanel by Numerator show Lidl increased its sales by 8.8 per cent in the last quarter to 17 May. Only online grocer Ocado \u2013 10.2 per cent \u2013 did better as a food-based retailer.<\/p>\n

Lidl now sits behind Aldi, Asda, Sainsbury\u2019s and Tesco in Britain\u2019s supermarket pecking order. Morrisons insists it market share is underestimated by the Worldpanel figures, which exclude sales from its convenience stores.<\/p>\n

\nLidl: How the German chain has become a British retail favourite\n<\/p>\n

Some 25 years ago, Lidl accounted for just 1.4 per cent of a UK grocery market where names such as Safeway, Somerfield and Kwik Save were still active. While those chains are now long gone, Lidl \u2013 along with fellow German brand Aldi \u2013 has rapidly prospered.<\/p>\n

\"File Lidl has increased the wages of all its hourly-paid workers
(Photo: Andrew Matthews\/PA)<\/p>\n

\"NewCaption: New Everyday and Weekly surprises merchandise display at Lidl Food Market, Queens, New York. (Photo by: Lindsey Nicholson\/UCG\/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Photographer: UCG
Provider: UCG\/Universal Images Group via G
Source: Universal Images Group Editorial<\/p>\n

Its emphasis on low prices has helped Lidl build market share in Britain\u2019s cut-throat food retail sector. It now has 1,000 stores and 13 distribution centres, employing 35,000 staff across Great Britain.<\/p>\n

weather<\/p>\n

When is it too hot to walk your dog?<\/p>\n

\"TheCaption: The concept of hot weather and a pet. Hands holding a bottle and giving water to a dog in an urban environment. Breed Airedale Terrier.
Photographer: OLGA KAZANTSEVA
Provider: Getty Images
Source: iStockphoto
Copyright: Kazantseva Olga, okazantseva@gmail.com<\/p>\n

It is not only humans who will have been feeling the heat in recent days. The onset heatstroke in dogs can happen in minutes, meaning owners should take particular care when walking their pooch in hot weather.<\/p>\n

The Kennel Club recommends measures including only taking dogs out at cooler times of the day and looking out for signs of heat distress, including heavy panting and lethargy or confusion. <\/p>\n

\nWhat you need to know\n<\/p>\n

Dogs cannot regulate their body temperatures as well as humans. Panting is their main cooling mechanism. They can also sweat from their paw pads and noses.<\/p>\n

During extreme heat, dogs should only be walked very early in the morning or later in the evening. Always carry water and something for your pet to drink from.<\/p>\n

Very hot pavements can burn your dog\u2019s paws so try to avoid them. When at home, put ice cubes in your pooch\u2019s water bowl and give them damp towels to lie on. Never place a damp towel over the dog because this can trap heat.<\/p>\n

The signs of heatstroke to look out for and what to do next<\/p>\n

A dog in heat distress can show signs such as heavy panting even when not exercising, unwillingness to move, dribbling and confusion, as well as not walking in a straight line. Contact a vet immediately if heatstroke is suspected and move the dog into shade or a cool floor. Carefully pour water over its body, focusing on neck, stomach and inner thighs. Fan the dog with cool air. <\/p>\n

\"blackCaption: black labrador dog exhausted by the heat lying on the white tile of a kitchen in summer
Photographer: Nicolas Jooris-Ancion
Provider: Getty Images\/iStockphoto
Source: iStockphoto
Copyright: NJOO<\/p>\n

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NEWS<\/p>\n

3 min read<\/p>\n

money<\/p>\n

Grandmother\u2019s \u00a31m lottery win playing late husband\u2019s numbers<\/p>\n

\"EDITORIALCaption: EDITORIAL USE ONLY
(left to right) Julie Tresadern, Rose Tresadern and Barry Tresadern celebrate winning ?1 million on the National Lottery Lotto with afternoon tea at the Roslyn Beach Hotel in Southend-on-Sea. Issue date: Wednesday May 27, 2026. PA Photo. The family played using their late husband and father Derek\u2019s Lotto numbers, which came up in the April 18 draw. Photo credit should read: Kieran Cleeves\/PA Media Assignments
Photographer: Kieran Cleeves\/PA Media Assignments
Provider: Kieran Cleeves\/PA Media Assignments
Source: PA<\/p>\n

Rose Tresadern scooped the \u00a31m National Lottery prize along with her two children after deciding to continue playing her late husband Derek\u2019s numbers following his death last year.<\/p>\n

Retired office manager Rose, 80, from Southend-on-Sea, Essex, said the win made it feel like Derek was \u201cstill looking out for us\u201d. She plans to spend some of her winnings on a new ring to remind her of Derek. <\/p>\n

\nWhat you need to know\n<\/p>\n

The family decided to continue playing Mr Tresadern\u2019s Lotto numbers because they reminded them of him. The 83-year-old former business analyst died last year.<\/p>\n

The numbers \u2013 1, 4, 12, 15, 39, and the bonus ball 48 \u2013 came up in the Lotto draw on 18 April, netting them a \u00a31m prize for matching five numbers plus the bonus ball.<\/p>\n

The prize is being shared between Mrs Tresadern and her children, Barry, 52, and Julie, 57. She said she did not know what the numbers had meant to her husband, adding: \u201cI know he\u2019d be over the moon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\nHow the winnings will be spent\n<\/p>\n

When Mrs Tresadern phoned her children to tell them of their good fortune, they initially thought something was wrong. She said: \u201cI could hardly speak\u2026 When I told them we\u2019d won \u00a31m, there was just silence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Camelot'sCamelot\u2019s profits are up \u2013 but cash for good causes down \u2013 as players switch to scratch cards<\/p>\n

\"EDITORIALCaption: EDITORIAL USE ONLY
(left to right) Barry Tresadern, Rose Tresadern and Julie Tresadern celebrate winning ?1 million on the National Lottery Lotto with afternoon tea at the Roslyn Beach Hotel in Southend-on-Sea. Issue date: Wednesday May 27, 2026. PA Photo. The family played using their late husband and father Derek\u2019s Lotto numbers, which came up in the April 18 draw. Photo credit should read: Kieran Cleeves\/PA Media Assignments
Photographer: Kieran Cleeves\/PA Media Assignments
Provider: Kieran Cleeves\/PA Media Assignments
Source: PA<\/p>\n

Mrs Tresadern is planning on using some of her winnings to move to a retirement home better suited to her mobility needs. She will also buy a ring after her original engagement ring became worn out.<\/p>\n

science<\/p>\n

How music lessons can improve attention span<\/p>\n

\"GirlsCaption: Girls practicing playing violin and trumpet
Photographer: JGI\/Jamie Grill
Provider: Getty Images\/Tetra images RF
Source: Tetra images RF
Copyright: ?JGI\/Jamie Grill\/Blend Images LLC<\/p>\n

The ability to play a musical instrument improves the attention span of children and young adults, a study suggests.<\/p>\n

Canadian researchers found musicians were able to respond faster and with fewer lapses in focus when their attention span was tested compared to non-musicians. The findings suggest learning an instrument could be a way of countering the erosion of attention spans caused by social media.<\/p>\n

\nWhat you need to know\n<\/p>\n

The study compared the performance of 268 musicians and non-musicians, aged eight to 34, who were set a number of computer-based tasks.<\/p>\n

The two groups were closely matched on factors such as age, socio-economic status, personality traits and time spent playing video games.<\/p>\n

Those with formal musical training were found to be faster at responding to the test prompts and showed fewer lapses in concentration while carrying out tasks.<\/p>\n

\nA closer look at the findings\n<\/p>\n

The researchers at Canada\u2019s McMaster University emphasised that the gains were broadly modest. But the findings add to a debate about the wider educational benefits of learning a musical instrument.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photographer: Justin Paget
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Digital Vision<\/p>\n

\"BoyCaption: Boy playing drums in a music school
Photographer: FG Trade
Provider: Getty Images
Source: E+<\/p>\n

Rafael\u00a0Rom\u00e1n-Caballero, who led the study, said children may accumulate wider cognitive skills as they learn an instrument, such as co-ordination and an ability to correct mistakes as they play. He said: \u201cLike many cognitive abilities, attention may become more refined and efficient the more it is exercised.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"UndatedCaption: \tUndated handout artist rendering issued by Nasa of the proposed moon base being built. Nasa has unveiled far-reaching plans for its first Moon base that could see people living and working on the lunar surface within six years. Located at the satellite\u2019s south pole, the outpost, which eventually may have sites spread out over hundreds of square miles, will be established in a phased approach, which builds capability over time. Issue date: Wednesday May 27, 2026<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/image-detail\/liveenable-im3-sustainabilitylogistics-withastros-3\/
Copyright: Nasa<\/p>\n

space<\/p>\n

Nasa unveils next steps for Moon base<\/p>\n

America\u2019s space agency has released details of the technology \u2013 from robotic landers to hopping drones \u2013 it aims to send to the Moon as part of plans to build a permanent base.<\/p>\n

The machines also include vehicles that astronauts could drive over the lunar surface and carry scientific instruments. Washington wants to land Americans back on the Moon before Donald Trump leaves office in 2029.<\/p>\n

\nWhat you need to know\n<\/p>\n

\"NASACaption: NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, with acting Associate Administrator Lori Glaze and Moon Base Program Executive Carlos Garcia-Galan, holds a news conference on updated plans for the agency???s Moon Base initiative for a long-term lunar presence, at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 26, 2026. REUTERS\/Jonathan Ernst
Photographer: Jonathan Ernst
Provider: REUTERS
Source: REUTERS<\/p>\n

$20bn Moon base<\/p>\n

In March, Nasa unveiled a $20bn programme to build a lunar base, powered by nuclear and solar energy, by 2032.<\/p>\n

Landers and hoppers<\/p>\n

The first phase will involve the building of robotic landers and hopping drones to map the Moon\u2019s terrain.<\/p>\n

\"UndatedCaption: \tUndated handout artist rendering issued by Nasa of the proposed moon base being built. Nasa has unveiled far-reaching plans for its first Moon base that could see people living and working on the lunar surface within six years. Located at the satellite\u2019s south pole, the outpost, which eventually may have sites spread out over hundreds of square miles, will be established in a phased approach, which builds capability over time. Issue date: Wednesday May 27, 2026<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/image-detail\/liveenable-im3-sustainabilitylogistics-withastros-3\/
Copyright: Nasa<\/p>\n

\"MIAMI,\u2018As one of Amazon\u2019s top three markets globally, the UK should be wary of Jeff Bezos\u2019s embrace,\u2019 writes Ian Burrell (Photo: Alexander Tamargo\/Getty for America Business Forum)<\/p>\n

Contracts awarded<\/p>\n

Jeff Bezos\u2019s space company Blue Origin is among the US firms which have been awarded contracts. <\/p>\n

\nAmerica\u2019s new space race with China\n<\/p>\n

China is pressing ahead with its own plans to land humans on the Moon by 2030 as the two superpowers gear up for a new Cold War-style race to assert their technological supremacy in space. <\/p>\n

\"INCaption: IN SPACE \u2013 APRIL 03: (EDITOR\u2019S NOTE: This Handout image was provided by a third-party organization and may not adhere to Getty Images\u2019 editorial policy.) In this handout image provided by NASA, Orion snapped this high-resolution selfie in space with a camera mounted on one of its solar array wings during a routine external inspection of the spacecraft on the second day into the Artemis II mission on April 3, 2026. NASA\u2019s Artemis II mission will take Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. (Photo by NASA via Getty Images)
Photographer: NASA
Provider: NASA via Getty Images
Source: Getty Images North America<\/p>\n

\"JIUQUAN,Chinese astronauts Tang Hongbo, Nie Haisheng and Liu Boming attend a see-off ceremony at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre (Photo: Yang Zhiyuan\/VCG via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Most experts believe that Nasa\u2019s 2032 deadline for a permanent lunar base is unrealistic. And while the Artemis II mission in April to send four astronauts around the Moon was a success, some scientists believe it is China which is most likely to be the next nation to place humans on the lunar surface.<\/p>\n

business<\/p>\n

Amazon\u2019s UK tax bill rises to top \u00a31.3bn<\/p>\n

\"Sydney,Caption: Sydney, Australia \u2013 2022-07-22 Amazon prime boxes and envelopes delivered to a front door of residential building. Black Friday Cyber Monday Christmas Sale Prime Day. Amazon Flex delivery
Photographer: Daria Nipot
Provider: Getty Images
Source: iStock Editorial<\/p>\n

Online giant Amazon said it paid more than \u00a31.3bn in UK taxes last year \u2013 a rise of more than a fifth as higher labour and business costs pushed up its bill.<\/p>\n

The internet-based vendor said its revenues in the UK had also risen, exceeding \u00a330bn in 2025, compared to about \u00a329bn in 2024. The company earlier this year launched its first drone deliveries in Darlington.<\/p>\n

\nWhat you need to know\n<\/p>\n

Amazon is one of the UK\u2019s biggest private sector employers, with some 75,000 staff in roles from warehouse workers to technologists. <\/p>\n

The company said its tax payments had last year increased by at least 20 per cent, driven in particular by the national insurance rate hike which came into effect last April.<\/p>\n

Amazon has pledged to invest heavily in the UK and plans to spend \u00a340bn between 2025 and 2027 on developments including new warehouse sites and offices in London.<\/p>\n

\nAmazon and its rising tax bill\n<\/p>\n

Campaigners have previously criticised Amazon over the amount of tax its pays relative to the size of its operations. Its sales of \u00a330bn last year dwarfed those of many traditional UK retailers.<\/p>\n

\"CANADAShoppers are brace for an extended Amazon Prime Day event this month (Photo: Thomas Fuller\/SOPA Images\/LightRocket\/Getty)<\/p>\n

\"AnAn Amazon fulfillment centre in Dartford. Contagious cases of TB were found at an Amazon warehouse in Coventry (Photo: Jason Alden\/Bloomberg via Getty)<\/p>\n

The company did not pay any corporation tax in 2021 and 2022 under a tax break scheme introduced by Conservative chancellor Rishi Sunak. But it is now seeing its bills increase significantly as it becomes more embedded into Britain\u2019s retail landscape.<\/p>\n

the labour party<\/p>\n

Blair\u2019s warning to Starmer \u2013 key points<\/p>\n

\"LONDON,Starmer and Blair (Photo: Kirsty O\u2019Connor\/WPA Pool\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Sir Tony Blair has accused Keir Starmer\u2019s Government of lacking a \u201ccoherent plan\u201d for Britain.<\/p>\n

The former Labour leader warned in a highly-critical essay that his party needs a \u201cfundamental reset\u201d if it is to win the next general election and criticised policies that he said have held back business. He also said the UK should not have stopped the US from using its RAF bases at the start of the Iran war.<\/p>\n

\nWhat you need to know\n<\/p>\n

Rights \u2018gone wrong\u2019<\/p>\n

Sir Tony singled out measures including new workers\u2019 rights and the minimum wage rise as political errors.<\/p>\n

\"SHARMCaption: SHARM EL-SHEIKH, EGYPT \u2013 OCTOBER 13: Britain\u2019s former Prime Minister Tony Blair attends a world leaders\u2019 summit on ending the Gaza war on October 13, 2025 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. President Trump is in Egypt to meet with European and Middle Eastern leaders in what???s being billed as an international peace summit, following the start of a US-brokered ceasefire deal to end the war in the Gaza Strip. (Photo by Suzanne Plunkett \u2013 Pool \/ Getty Images)
Photographer: Pool
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe<\/p>\n

\"UK\u2018The chances of any interest rate cuts this year from the Bank of England are vanishingly small\u2019 (Photo: Andrzej Rostek\/Getty\/iStockphoto)<\/p>\n

Triple lock unlocked<\/p>\n

In his 5,700-word essay the ex-PM said welfare spending is too high and the pensions triple lock needs to be reformed.<\/p>\n

Small boats<\/p>\n

Future actions must include doing \u201cwhatever it takes\u201d to stop the small boats crisis, Sir Tony added.<\/p>\n

\"ATCaption: AT SEA, ENGLAND \u2013 APRIL 27: Migrants on an inflatable \u2018small boat\u2019 clamber on to The UK Border Force vessel, BSC Intrepid after crossing the channel from northern France on April 27, 2026 in Dover, England. Last week the UK and France signed a ??662 million, three-year deal to curb small boat crossings, featuring a first-of-its-kind ??160 million \u201cresults-based\u201d payment conditional on a reduction in arrivals. The agreement funds a 42% increase in French coastal personnel, a new removal centre in Dunkirk, and advanced surveillance technology. While designed to disrupt smuggling gangs and secure beaches with riot-trained officers, early reports show smugglers have already begun shifting launch sites further south to bypass the intensified patrols. (Photo by Dan Kitwood\/Getty Images)
Photographer: Dan Kitwood
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: 2026 Getty Images<\/p>\n

\n\u2018Personality isn\u2019t the problem\u2019\n<\/p>\n

The former PM waded into his party\u2019s leadership crisis by saying its problem was not one of Starmer\u2019s personality. He suggested instead that Labour was stuck governing its \u201ccomfort zone\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"Britain'sCaption: Britain\u2019s Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer looks on during a visit to a nursery in Brighton, south coast of England, on May 26, 2026, to announce a range of measures to support parents and families with childcare costs. (Photo by Gareth Fuller \/ POOL \/ AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: GARETH FULLER
Provider: POOL\/AFP via Getty Images
Source: AFP<\/p>\n

\"FileTony Blair singing \u201cJerusalem\u201d before he gives a speech at the Women\u2019s Institute annual conference in Wembley (Photo: Peter Jordan\/PA Wire)<\/p>\n

Blair said: \u201cThe Labour Party is playing with fire; or, more accurately, with its future, and that of the country\u2026 It is because we don\u2019t have a worked out, coherent plan for the country in a fast-changing world and are in the wrong political position from which we can devise one and win a second term.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watch more from The i Paper<\/p>\n

@theipaper<\/a> <\/p>\n

What\u2019s the real story behind Birmingham\u2019s unemployment rate? Across the UK, the national average unemployment rate is 4.9%, but in Birmingham this number rises to 13.6%, which is nearly triple and equivalent to 77,000 people, with many of them being young adults. The i Paper\u2019s Housing and Society Correspondent Vicky Spratt visited Birmingham Central Job Centre to speak to job seekers and experts to find out what is really going on. #UK<\/a> #news<\/a> #unemployed<\/a><\/p>\n

\u266c original sound \u2013 The i Paper \u2013 The i Paper<\/a> <\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"\"\/<\/p>\n

It is unfair on young people by prioritising older people for the most generous state support, some Labour MPs told The i Paper.<\/p>\n

And yet backbenchers fear that it would be \u201celectoral suicide\u201d for the party to waver from its manifesto promise to uphold the pension guarantee.<\/p>\n

Time to be honest with the public, says Blair<\/p>\n

Blair said the generosity of the triple lock \u2013 brought in by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat government in 2010 \u2013 was \u201cnot affordable\u201d in the long-term.<\/p>\n

It is time to be \u201chonest\u201d with the public that the Government was spending and borrowing too much, the former Labour prime minister told BBC Radio 4\u2019s Today programme on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Treasury minister Dan Tomlinson quickly rejected the call, arguing that the triple lock was sustainable in the long term.<\/p>\n

\"FormerFormer Labour prime minister Tony Blair says the triple lock is not affordable in the long term (Photo: Dante Fernandez\/AFP)<\/p>\n

But many Labour MPs concur with Blair on the triple lock, even if they don\u2019t support all the ex-leader had to say in his 5,700-word essay on where the party had gone wrong<\/a>.<\/p>\n

One told The i Paper that most of their colleagues on the backbenches agreed with Blair, rather than Tomlinson.<\/p>\n

It would be \u201cright\u201d to examine how to end the triple lock for the good of the public finances \u2013 and potentially free up money to reinvest in young people, the Labour backbencher said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, it\u2019s not electorally beneficial,\u201d the same MP added. \u201cIt\u2019s electoral suicide for anyone who pursues it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Silence over triple lock \u2018ludicrous\u2019, says Labour MP<\/p>\n

Some are frustrated at the ongoing silence on the issue and hope it can be discussed this year, as the party braces itself for possible leadership challenges<\/a> by former health secretary Wes Streeting and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.<\/p>\n

One Labour MP, who believes the triple lock is \u201cunsustainable\u201d, thinks there is a chance for the party to debate the best ways to end it as part of a wider debate on welfare spending.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone knows it [the triple lock] is not sustainable,\u201d the MP told The i Paper. \u201cLabour MPs know, opposition MPs know. No one wants to touch it, but it\u2019s ludicrous to avoid it when we have these generational problems. It can\u2019t go on forever.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to look at shifting generational funding from older people to younger people. Young people need to know we\u2019re a party that cares about them,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n

The triple lock means that over time, pensioners\u2019 incomes grow faster than either prices or the salaries of working people.<\/p>\n

No 10 wary after winter fuel fiasco<\/p>\n

However, some left-wing Labour MPs said it was important to stand by its promise to pensioners, many of whom are still struggling to keep up with the cost of living.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn one of the richest countries in the world, we ought to give pensioners dignity and security in retirement,\u201d Jon Trickett, MP for Normanton and Hemsworth, told The i Paper. \u201cAfter all, they helped to create the wealth in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clive Lewis, Labour MP for Norwich South, quoted the liberal economist John Maynard Keynes, who once said: \u201cAnything we can actually do, we can afford.\u201d Lewis, a strong supporter of Burnham, added: \u201cBlair speaks for his class. Keynes spoke for all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kim Johnson, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, said many voters felt \u201cabandoned\u201d by the winter fuel fiasco. Urging against any move to end the triple lock, she said: \u201cWe are the sixth richest economy in the world \u2013 we have the wealth to support those in need and to ensure everyone can live in dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Labour MP Chris Curtis, chair of the Labour Growth Group, told the Politics Inside Out podcast in November that it was \u201cmathematically impossible\u201d to keep the triple lock forever. \u201cThis is a conversation that we\u2019re going to have to have at some point. The question is, at what point?\u201d<\/p>\n

Starmer has repeatedly committed to maintaining the triple lock for the duration of this Parliament. Its future beyond the next election appears uncertain \u2013 but it will be difficult to drop the policy, even in the next general election manifesto.<\/p>\n

A No 10 source previously told <\/a>The i Paper<\/a>: \u201cAll other things being equal, we wouldn\u2019t include it in the next manifesto. But we were so badly burnt on winter fuel, the appetite for going after pensioners again is zero.\u201d<\/p>\n

Economists say triple lock makes \u2018little sense\u2019 \u2013 but difficult to end soon<\/p>\n

Economists have argued that the triple lock will become increasingly expensive as the population ages. Willem Buiter, an economist and former member of the Bank of England\u2019s monetary policy committee, said the triple lock \u201cmakes little sense and could become unsustainable\u201d.<\/p>\n

David Gauke, a former Conservative Treasury minister, told The i Paper that Blair was \u201cright to say that the triple lock is unaffordable\u201d.<\/p>\n

Gauke backed the recent Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) proposal that once the state pension has hit a certain percentage of average earnings, the triple lock should be abandoned and state pension increases kept in line with average earnings.<\/p>\n

However, Steve Webb, the pensions minister when the triple lock was introduced, said it would be a \u201chuge step\u201d to scrap it anytime soon.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing lasts forever\u201d, said the former Lib Dem minister. But Webb argued that there was a good case for keeping the triple lock for \u201cat least another couple of parliaments\u201d.<\/p>\n

Webb, a partner at financial services firm LCP, said the triple lock was brought in to \u201cundo 30 years of damage\u201d to the state pension when it was linked to prices and fell behind wages.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo it\u2019s not absurd to have a policy aimed at mending things remain in place for as long as the damage was done,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

The Government was approached for comment, but referred to Tomlinson\u2019s comments earlier on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Asked whether the triple lock is sustainable, Tomlinson told Times Radio: \u201cI think it\u2019s the right policy, it was in our manifesto and I think it\u2019s important that we make sure we\u2019re protecting pensioners and protecting their living standards.\u201d<\/p>\n

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