Kensington and Bayswater candidates double down on triple lock plus pension commitment
By Adrian Zorzut and Gabriel Wyszynski, Local Democracy Reporters
Candidates vying for the seat of Kensington and Bayswater have doubled down on a commitment to keep the “triple lock” on state pensions.
In a hustings hosted by Age UK on June 18, Tory MP Felicity Buchan told voters at Al-Manaar mosque and cultural centre her party would raise the tax-free state pension allowance in what they have called a “Triple Lock Plus.”
Labour’s Joe Powell said he would back the current “triple lock” scheme to increase state pensions in line with inflation, wage growth or 2.5 per cent, whichever is highest. Emma Dent Coad, who is running as an independent after quitting the Labour Party last year, said she would make it easier for pensioners to apply for unclaimed entitlements.
All candidates, including the Liberal Democrats’ William Houngbo and Mona Adam, who is running for the Green Party, supported the idea of a commissioner for the elderly.
Ms Buchan said the wellbeing of the elderly should be a central issue for the government, but stopped short of endorsing the idea and said the Conservatives had invested £8.5 billion into social care over the last two years and claimed lists for the elderly to receive care are longer in Labour-run constituencies.
She said: “Elderly people should be at the heart of government thinking but a commissioner cannot dictate what the government should do.”
Ms Dent Coad drew attention to the number of elderly constituents living in what she described as deep poverty and said women faced a 40pc gender pension gap compared with men. She said she wants to bring down the number elderly residents resorting to food banks for support.
All candidates pledged to fix Britain’s social care system. Mr Powell promised to support his party’s plan for a national care service while Ms Adam said there should be more training for carers.
All candidates promised to work with bereaved families from the Grenfell Tower fire. Ms Dent Coad said over one million people are housed in homes with dangerous cladding and reiterated the need to seek justice for the victims of the disaster.
Pictured top: Candidates left to right, Joe Powell (Labour), William Houngbo (Lib Dems), Emma Dent Coad (Independent), Felicity Buchan (Conservatives) and Mona Adam (Picture: Adrian Zorzut)
