Jeremy Hunt faces a backlash over the government's pledge to scrap national insurance (Image: Getty)
Jeremy Hunt is at risk of losing his seat at the next general election because of a backlash from elderly voters over pensions, new analysis shows.
Data shows the Chancellor is among 284 Conservative MPs who represent constituencies with bigger pensioner populations than the size of their majorities.
Labour says many retirees have concerns following the government’s pledge to scrap national insurance, a tax which pays for state pensions.
They also say there are fears among the elderly that the state pension could eventually be means-tested, the retirement age could be raised or the link between tax contributions and pension entitlement could end.
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If those concerns are replicated on polling day then many majority’s could be wiped out, they claim.
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Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride is another Cabinet Minister who could suffer at the ballot box, according to the analysis.
It shows Mr Hunt’s South West Surrey seat has 21,447 pensioners compared to a majority of just 8,817.
Mr Stride’s Central Devon seat has 6,867 more pensioners than the size of his majority.
Senior cabinet ministers including Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps and Housing Secretary Michael Gove also appear on the list.
Other cabinet ministers with bigger pensioner populations than their majority include Justice Secretary Alex Chalk, Culture Secretary Luzy Frazer, Science Secretary Michelle Donelan, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, and Health Secretary Victoria Atkins.
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Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s Shadow Paymaster General, said: “Rishi Sunak’s ￡46 billion unfunded plan to scrap national insurance has caused real worry for Britain’s retirees who have worked hard all their lives, contributed so much to our nation and planned carefully for retirement.”
“It’s time Tory MPs explained to pensioners how this ￡46 billion bombshell will be paid for otherwise it will be crystal clear that the future of the state pension simply isn’t safe in Tory hands.”
The analysis comes after Sir Keir Starmer confirmed with the Sunday Express that the pensions triple lock will be kept in place for at least the next five years if he becomes PM.
The Labour leader said the commitment will be included in his party’s election manifesto so Britain's retirees can "enjoy their golden years".
Asked about the new commitment on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting said Labour wanted to give pensioners "certainty".
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He said: "We will protect the triple lock. It's currently built into the Government baseline. But this is a Conservative Party that's saying they are going to scrap national insurance, create a ￡46billion blackhole, without saying how they will pay for it."
But Conservative Party Chairman, Richard Holden warned that Labour could not be trusted to look after pension pots.
“When it comes to pensions, judge Labour by their record. Last time, Labour increased the weekly State Pension by a measly 75p and their pension tax raid cost ￡118 billion leaving pensioners high and dry,” he said.
“Sir Keir Starmer has no plan to reduce costs for working people or for pensioners. Their own tax adviser wants to hike up taxes, including on pensioners who he described as ‘codgers’.
“Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives have increased the State Pension by ￡900 this year, thanks to the Conservative-introduced Triple Lock. By sticking to the plan we will strengthen the economy further, meaning pensioners have more money in their pockets and security and dignity in retirement.”
Director of Silver Voices, Dennis Reed, said he was “extremely reassured” that both the Tories and Labour are committed to the triple lock for the whole five years of the next Parliament.
Labour will ramp up pressure on the government over pensions with a series of Facebook attack ads from Monday.
They will target constituents across the UK including Rother valley, Shipley, North East Derbyshire, Hastings and Rye, Darlington and Hartlepool.
A Conservative Party spokesperson said: "This is total nonsense from Labour.
"We have committed again to the pensions Triple Lock for the next Parliament, guaranteeing it will rise whichever is the highest of inflation, earnings or 2.5%. We have also set out another NHS real-terms spending rise.
"We have done this all at the same time as cutting national insurance, the double tax on work by ￡900.
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"We will keep cutting the double tax on work until it is gone in an economically responsible way while increasing pensions and protecting the NHS.
"There’s only one party threatening pensioners - and that’s Keir Starmer’s Labour whose new tax adviser is calling for ‘codgers’ to be taxed and for their free tv licences to be axed, endangering pensioners’ security in retirement.
"It’s the same old Labour - every pensioner will remember Labour’s measly 75p weekly State Pension rise.”
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