On behalf of millions of state pensioners I call on the Prime Minister to rethink his plan to scrap the existing Triple Lock from April 2030. This petition originally saved the Triple Lock under the previous Tory Government, and Silver Voices will move heaven and earth to retain this vital safeguard. There is a danger that Labour will move quickly to get the necessary legislation through Parliament and we need to be ready with a mass petition. 

The Prime Minister has announced that subject to being re-elected he intends to scrap the triple lock as it stands from 2030,  to finance his social care plans. Billions of pounds which would have been earmarked to keep older people's income up with earnings growth will now be siphoned off. The last time the Lock was suspended, and earnings growth ignored, in 2022/23, pensioners lost out by £500 a year which has never been reinstated.  The claim that the ending of the Lock is necessary to pay for the large part of social care reforms is spurious as it will not raise sufficient funding, and why should pensioners foot the bill for a public service which will benefit the whole population eventually?

Every opinion poll shows massive public support for the Triple Lock across all age ranges and this new policy has been described as political suicide,  by commentators from both the left and right of politics. We need to mobilise that support using this petition as a focus.

We are still in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, with energy and food prices rising much faster than the 3.9% prospective pension rise due next April under the Triple Lock. The Triple Lock was introduced as a result of rising pensioner poverty, we do not want to go back to those dark days. So, Mr. Burnham, tell us that you will rethink your divisive and unacceptable plan and guarantee the Triple Lock for the whole of the next Parliament! 

If you signed the original petition you will not be able to sign again, but in that case please share it with everyone you know. If Burnham gets away with breaking the Lock it will be a slippery slope because when prices are rocketing in the future,  Government will find a way to ignore inflation too! 

Thank you for your support. Dennis