Kemi Badenoch has declined to promise that a Conservative government would repeal legislation changing the state pension triple lock, telling Times Radio on Tuesday that reversing the change would be "difficult" if the money saved had been spent elsewhere.
The Conservative leader, speaking on the third day of her party's conference in Birmingham, restated that the triple lock remained Conservative policy but would not commit to undoing a measure the government has said it intends to pass in this parliament. The Guardian's live blog characterised her answer as suggesting the Conservatives would not reverse the legislation. Press Association-derived copy reported her as admitting it would be "difficult" to reinstate the triple lock.
"I have said that the triple lock is our policy and it remains our policy," she told the station.
Asked what would happen if Labour legislated and spent the savings, she said: "I have said that we are keeping this policy, but if they take that money and they spend it on something that we can't get it back from, then it would be difficult for me."
She added: "What I'm not going to do is lie to your listeners just so I can get votes. I tell the truth and I say the triple lock is our policy and we're keeping it."
In a further answer reported by the Guardian, she said: "But what I'm not going to do is to say something when I don't know what the situation would be about what Labour has done with that money. We have to be very careful."
The exchange follows the announcement by Andy Burnham, in his first Labour conference speech as prime minister, that the uprating mechanism would be altered from April 2030. The triple lock raises the state pension each year by the highest of inflation, average earnings growth or 2.5 per cent, and has applied since 2011.
"We promised in our manifesto to keep the Triple Lock unchanged throughout this Parliament," Burnham told delegates in Liverpool on 29 September, according to the full text published by the Labour party. "I will honour that promise, and I will do more. That promise will take the state pension to a record high. From there, in April 2030, we will adjust it."
Labour's own account of the speech says that "Adjusting the pensions triple lock from April 2030 will help fund it", referring to a National Care Service providing free personal care for older people. The government has said the change will be legislated for before the next general election, according to a Guardian report, which would require MPs to vote on it. No bill or departmental costing has been published.
Badenoch's position has shifted in emphasis across the conference week. On Sunday she described the current triple lock as the "right policy" but declined to say the Conservatives would always keep it. On Monday she was reported as vowing to keep it and accusing Labour of going after the elderly.
The Conservatives are competing with Reform UK for older voters. Nigel Farage said on Monday that his was the "only" party committed to protecting the triple lock and to reversing changes made by Burnham.
Badenoch is due to close the conference with a speech on Wednesday. She declined to say on Tuesday whether it would contain tax cuts.
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