Conservative deputy leader Alex Burghart has described pensioners as a “special case” as he reaffirmed the party’s commitment to the state pension triple lock.
He argued that retirees deserve different treatment because, once they stop working, they can do “absolutely nothing” to increase their income.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has set out plans to end the existing state pension triple lock from 2030 to help fund a new national care service.
In a round of interviews with BBC local radio stations, Burghart suggested that any “difficult decisions” on welfare should focus on working-age benefits.
He told BBC Radio Berkshire that it was “obvious” there should be two different approaches to welfare – one for pensioners and another for working-age adults.
He said pensioners had “reached the end of their working lives” and there was “nothing they can do to improve their circumstances”, adding that they had “a right to be looked after properly”.
“The same is not true for people who are working age,” he said.
Burghart added: “I just think it’s a very practical and decent argument and that most people will understand that.”
Asked about adults with disabilities who cannot work, he said his argument applied to “people who can work and should be in work”.
The Conservatives have long campaigned for curbs to spending on sickness and disability benefits, including Personal Independence Payments (PIP).
Last year, Sir Keir Starmer faced a major backbench rebellion over proposed cuts to disability benefits, leading to a U-turn which saw the plans substantially watered down.
Speaking on BBC Hereford and Worcester, Burghart suggested Burnham had missed an opportunity to press ahead with the cuts after taking office.
“He didn’t do it, and now we’re in this very serious problem where this huge budget at the centre of government isn’t going to be touched,” he said.
The Conservative deputy leader also defended his party’s “tough love” approach to unemployment benefits for young people.
He said 18-year-olds leaving school would no longer be able simply to “sign on” the following day.
“You will be able to claim some money but that will require you to turn up to the job centre and under supervision either do a course, or do your job applications or look for work,” he said.
Burghart said some young people were signing on “very early in life” and forming “very bad habits” which could be difficult to break.
He argued this “wasn’t good for anybody”.
Burghart also reaffirmed the Conservatives’ “very, very firm” pledge not to enter an electoral pact with Reform UK, either before or after a general election.
He criticised Reform over what he described as “scandal around their money” and referred to donations from people involved in cryptocurrency.
“We do not want to do a deal with those people,” he said.
“Kemi [Badenoch] is someone with enormous personal integrity and we are not doing a deal with them.”
