Rishi Sunak has unveiled a proposal for tax cuts aimed at pensioners in his latest campaign effort, highlighting the critical role of older voters in the forthcoming July election.
Sunak's Conservative Party plans to implement a new age-related allowance, offering a tax reduction of approximately 100 pounds for each of 8 million pensioners in 2025, with the amount rising to nearly 300 pounds annually by the end of the next parliamentary term.
"This bold action demonstrates we are on the side of pensioners. The alternative is Labour dragging everyone in receipt of the full state pension into income tax for the first time in history," Sunak said in a statement. He called a general election for July 4 last week.
The number of pensioners in Britain increased by 140,000 to 12.6 million in the year to February 2023. Nearly 50 million Britons will be eligible to vote in the election, with opinion polls predicting an end to 14 years of Conservative rule.
The Conservative Party stated that this proposal aligns with its commitment to the triple lock, which ensures increases to publicly funded pensions by the level of earnings, inflation, or 2.5 per cent, whichever is highest.
Labour has also pledged to retain this policy, which was introduced by a Conservative government in 2011 to prevent pensioners from falling into poverty.
However, the costs associated with the triple lock have been scrutinized as British inflation has surged, increasing the government's bill for state pensions by an additional 11 billion pounds last year.
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The new proposal, called "triple lock plus," will cost 2.4 billion pounds a year by 2029/30. This will be funded through the government's plan to raise an extra 6 billion pounds a year by clamping down on tax avoidance and evasion.
“This is just another desperate move from a chaotic Tory party torching any remaining facade of its claims to economic credibility," Labour shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth said in a statement.
The paymaster general, part of the Treasury, acts as a banker for most government departments.
(Reuters)
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)