Commons vote to throw out Lords case for a revised triple lock rise
The House of Commons last night voted down the Lords case for a higher pension rise next April with Guy Opperman, the pension minister, describing such a move as ” reckless” as there could be no robust figure to work out a compromise figure suggested by former Tory pensions minister Baroness Altmann. He boasted that the government were spending huge sums on pensions ” amounting to £129 billion this year”.
Full list of MPs who didn’t want pensioners to get a bigger rise below -all Tories
Baroness Altmann had argued for a higher figure than the government’s 3.1 per cent but below the 8.3 per cent rise in earnings if the government had kept the triple lock. This follows the latest estimates for inflation rising as high as 5 per cent by next April. The government won by 300 votes to 229 and by 299 to 53 to disagree with the Lords.
Full vote on pension uprating here. Those who were against any more money for pensioners included Sir Geoffrey Cox, who has made a £1m advising a tax haven, Alok Sharma, the president of Cop 26, Red Wall Tory, Ben Bradley for Mansfield and Lee Anderson, MP for Ashfield Bob Seely, Isle of Wight with a large pensioner population; millionaire Grant Shapps, the transport secretary; Scottish Tory leader, Douglas Ross; Peter Aldous, joint chair of the APPG on 50s women’s pensions and a clutch of Tories who won seats from Labour in the last general election. Two Tories rebelled and voted for the Lords uprating, Esther McVey, MP for Tatton and Derek Thomas, MP for St Ives. Derek Thomas it turns out voted against the government by mistake and then went into the government lobby. So he voted twice. Independents voting for the rise included former Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn.
There were a lot of MPs who didn’t vote including Rishi Sunak, Boris Johnson and among Labour, Andrew Gwynne, joint chair of the APPG on 50s women’s pensions, Jack Dromey and Margaret Beckett.
The government was opposed by Labour, the Scottish National Party, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, the Alliance Party, the SDLP, and the Democratic Unionist Party. Only one Tory backbencher spoke to defend the government, Duncan Baker, the MP for Norfolk, North. Most Tory MPs stayed away from the debate.
He argued that his large number of elderly pensioner constituents understood the need not to increase pensions by 8.3 per cent because of the current financial situation. Jonathan Reynolds, Labour’s social security spokesman, supported the Lords move and rejected the government’s case -saying it was reasonable for the government to find a figure.
The strongest support came from John McDonnell, who argued the full triple lock of 8.3 per cent should be paid because of pensioner poverty, women being especially hit. ” Under the Lords amendment we are talking about giving pensioners an extra £2.75 a week – it is ridiculous that we are arguing against this. I would give them the full 8.3 per cent – worth £7 a week.”
Three Scottish MPs – two from the Scottish National Party David Linden and Patricia Linden – and Liberal Democrat Wendy Chamberlain argued against the government. Wendy Chamberlain said she had not received a single letter supporting the government abandoning the triple lock and many letters opposing the move.
Stephen Timms, Labour chair of the Commons works and pensions committee, challenged the government to make up the shortfall and was sceptical whether the government would abandon the triple lock next year ( Guy Opperman denied this) but even if not, it meant pensions would continue to fall behind wages.
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The Goverment should hold their heads in SHAME.. While they get more in their expenses they put through… without their ridiculous high salaries taken into account. Than pensioners that have worked most of their adult lives to contribute into the system for the miserly amount they then have to live on🤮
On Mon, 15 Nov 2021 at 19:32, Westminster Confidential wrote:
> davidhencke posted: ” Commons vote to throw out Lords case for a revised > triple lock rise Guy Opperman, pensions minister,” reckless to pay > pensioners more” The House of Commons last night voted down the Lords case > for a higher pension rise next April with Guy Opperma” >
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Absolutely disgusting… yet MPs took £8.5 million during lockdown.
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Self serving career MPs
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As a 62 year old woman who has worked and paid into the Government run pension fund for over 36 years and has now been given less than a 5 yr survival rate for ovarian cancer, the chances of ever seeing any part of that pension are remote.
I have come to understand that female pensioners have no worth or value and we are being treated as nothing more than an inconvenience to the politicians. I feel that the position we have with the Government is the same as that shown by Hitler and his cohorts to the Jews. We have no value therefore we can be left to starve, to whither and die. No one will care
The Government is doing its level best to make young adults believe that we are stealing their futures, their homes and jobs, yet all we have ever done is work our socks of in our jobs, homes and relationships.
Everything I have I have worked damned hard for and I have no debts, aside of monthly household bills which are paid promptly. I have never driven flashy cars, or taken exotic holidays. I bought a sensibly priced home which is paid off in full despite the 18% plus percent interests charged in the 70’s and 80’s and the false promises of high returns on endowment mortgages. Not the Government funded, cut price ones that are offered to the young today.
I have lived within my means to protect a financial cushion for the later years I will not live to see. I could take a gamble on when I will die and spend the lot rather than wait for the taxman to steal it, but I’m not that brave or stupid.
No I didn’t know anything about the tax changes. Indeed when I left my main career in 1977 to pursue a new one I rang the DWP to see where I stood contributions wise. I was told I had paid 30yrs full contributions and should I choose not to I’d never have to work again. Oh how I wish I’d asked for that in writing!
Here I am, fortunate or indeed unfortunate to have been pushed into a career that had an occupational pension so I can manage to work or not. At this moment in time I’m not fit for anything and need a transfusion and because I’m a responsible person with savings I’m not entitled to any Government assistance. Indeed should my health decline and I need care the Government will gladly take everything I possess down to the last £23k.
Where is our female Monarch in all of this? Is she above at least supporting her women, the descendants of those women who supported this Country through wars and peace? Our Monarch does not get involved in politics, or so I’m told. Well maybe it’s time she gave us a voice, her voice!
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Gill I am very sorry to hear about your cancer diagnosis.
However some of your comments don’t quite make a lot of sense. For example in 1977 you say you phoned the DWP and was told that you had the 30 years required for a full pension. I’m sorry but anyone who reads that will think you’ve just been making stuff up. If you had 30 years in 1977 then you would have started paying NI in 1947 which was 12 years before you were born! Also the 30 years requirement wasn’t passed until 2007 as up till then women required 39 years for a full state pension.
I’m 50s’ born too but you’re giving us a bad name as it’s obvious you’re lying.
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Thank You David I just hope all Pensioners take note of what just happened, it is an absolute disgrace. MPs on £80,000 plus who cant manage without a second, third, 4th job, voting against a 5% rise for us Pensioners who receive less than half the living wage. I almost choked at the audacity of Geoffrey Cox, where did he vote from this time? Any Pensioner who votes for this lot in the next election, deserve all you get and those of the younger generation remember, you too will be a Pensioner one day. That said you have a lot more benefits to what we had at your age, we left school at 15 to work 40 years, no child care support, no maternity leave, no paternity leave and us women had no chance of a private pension. The majority of this Government are corrupt and only interested in lining their own pockets, I pray Pensioners like me, hit them where it hurts in the next election, they aren’t making a bad job of hurting themselves already but give them enough rope and they will hang themselves, and I will be in the front row cheering.
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Forgot to ask David, what happens next does it go back to the Lords?
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Bit confused – Derek Thomas St Ives Tory is on both lists, the Ayes and the Noes. He usually follows the rest of the sheep and does what he is told. All 6 Cornwall Tory MPs gutless and don’t speak for their constituents.
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yes learnt he voted both in favour and against .He wenr in the wrong lobby by mistake thinking he was supporting the government.
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The over 75’s have already lost the free TV Licence concession worth £159 per year unless they receive pension credit, which tops up the pension of a single person to only £177.10p and a couple to £270.30p per week.
Taking Duncan Baker’s argument to its logical conclusion the next thing on their agenda to go will likely be the winter fuel grant.
Well done to Esther McVey and and Derek Thomas. Shame on the rest of their conservative colleagues
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David, I have since found out Derek Thomas voted against the government by mistake. When he realised he rushed into the government lobby and voted for the government. He is the only MP to have voted twice in the division.
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Thanks for clarifying David. Well done to Esther McVey alone then, assuming she knew what she was doing!
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absolutely you never know with these MPs
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Words fail me really, I can’t believe that these people are actually suppose to work for us, quite frankly imo they only work for themselves !!! I really have to agree with Naylor1954 and say that anyone who votes for this bunch of clowns in the next election get exactly what they ask for !!! How on earth they can sleep at night knowing they have voted against giving pensioners such a miniscule amount is beyond me, especially when they are all only too ready to accept their wage increases without any compunction at all !!! Whilst I have been waiting for the last six years for the increase in my SP age, there have been many things that Boris and his cronies have done to waste money hand over fist losing millions, and yet they cannot look after the pensioners, what a shower of 💩💩💩💩 we have running our Country.
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So joint APPG on 1950s pension either voted against or abstained from voting, so voted against by default.
over50sparty org uk
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i have worked all my working life looked after two children and paid into the national insurance i am now 65 i should have retired 5 years ago do you not think i have paid in enough to get a decent pension .the government should be ashamed of them selfs you are being selfish to say the least .in fact i think as ladies that have had to work much longer than my contract with you when I started work.you shoud look at some sort of compensation i have lost about 40.000 pounds
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The government aren’t footing the bill. The tax payers and ni fund is.
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What does it take for people to realise the damage this government is doing? Rising pensioner poverty is not something they care about. Inflicting poverty on older people
is a crime.
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I have written three times to my Conservative MP and each time received an unsympathetic reply. My reply says that to keep the triple lock would not be fair on the younger generation. Well we were young once and paid up with no complaints! Born in 1954 and being a female I have already lost out by having to wait 6 years for my state pension. During the time of waiting for my state pension my reply letters from when I wrote regarding the lack of notice said you will be better off as your pension will be triple locked. Well that didn’t last long! Broken promises! This Government has wasted so much money and no doubt will continue to do so! So disappointed and angry 😡
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I’m really shocked to hear that the joint Chairs of the APPG either voted against the Lords’ amendment or didn’t vote at all. I really thought that we had their support but it appears I was mistaken. There simply is no hope for us 50s’ born women who have been shafted!
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Reblogged this on Tory Britain! .
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