Kensington and Bayswater candidates double down on state pension triple lock

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. Tory MP Felicity Buchan yesterday (June 18) 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 2.5per 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 elderly should be “at the heart” of government thinking 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.

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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.

On crime, Ms Buchan and Mr Powell voiced their support for reopening Notting Hill police station. Ms Buchan blamed Sadiq Khan for the closure but was interrupted by Ms Dent Coad who said the Mayor had faced unprecedented cuts to the policing budget by the government.

Mr Powell said he wants to see £2bn of investment poured into policing and youth clubs and said the housing crisis had made it impossible for officers to live in the capital. He said Labour would provide 1300 more officers for London. Mr Houngbo said he wanted a more “proactive” police force.

Ms Dent Coad and Mr Powell promised to boost social housing quotas locally while slamming the lack of such housing in a new major development in Ladbroke Grove being built by Ballymore and Sainsbury's. Mr Powell said: “When you look at young people in this borough the biggest issue they have with politicians is that they failed with housing.”

Ms Buchan stressed any development had to be in line with local conservation goals. Candidates locked horns over the environment. Ms Buchan said she pushed to have electric charging points installed in new homes while Ms Dent Coad accused the government of “offshoring” emissions through trade.

Mr Houngbo said he would prioritise cycling in the constituency. Ms Adam drew attention to her party's policy of "Air Equality" and said there was disproportionately high air pollution rates in Kensington and Bayswater.

Mr Powell said school kids have been breathing in air above WHO guidelines for years. He is pushing to make all buses electric by 2030. On schooling, he said Labour would provide more teachers, mental health councillors in every school and free breakfasts for school children. Ms Buchan argued Labour's plan to axe the VAT exemption for private schools would have adverse effects and said there had been a jump from 84pc of state schools to 95c having a good or outstanding rating from Ofsted under the Conservative government.

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.

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