Owen Smith MP, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, commenting on evidence to the Work and Pensions Committee given by Michael Johnson, Research Fellow at the Centre for Policy Studies, said: 

“The Tories are treading a dangerous path with their pension policy – undermining the state pension at every turn – and the mask is slowly slipping.

“These comments from a former adviser to David Cameron are alarming. They come after Iain Duncan Smith gave the game away when he resigned by calling for cuts to pensioner benefits and the Pensions Minister says people shouldn’t think of the state pension age as a time to retire.

“Along with likely increases to the state pension age and reduced support for future generations, the Government risks making retirement an option that’s only open to the well-off.

“People who’ve worked hard all their lives deserve dignity in retirement. They’ve contributed to society and rightly expect support in their later years.”