Badenoch Defends Triple-Lock Pension as Essential Policy Ahead of Party Conference

At the start of the Conservative Party conference, Kemi Badenoch defended the triple-lock pension, saying it remains the correct policy for pensioners who have paid into the system. The mechanism guarantees the state pension rises by whichever is highest among inflation, wage growth or 2.5%, a formula that opponents claim is financially unsustainable. Labour leader Andy Burnham has pledged to reform the lock to a fixed 2.5% or inflation increase, while shadow communities secretary Katie Lam, in a leaked summer recording, urged a complete overhaul.

Badenoch rejected these calls, stating no recent development has altered her position. The debate has split the Tories, with former Brexit minister Steve Baker and former shadow chancellor Andrew Griffith publicly questioning the lock’s fairness and fiscal impact. Badenoch also unveiled a new policy paper titled ‘The Right Way’ at the conference, echoing traditional Conservative principles.