Kensington and Bayswater candidates double triple lock state pension payout

Candidates fighting for the seat of Kensington and Bayswater have doubled down on their pledge to maintain the ‘triple lock’ on state pensions at a rally hosted by Age UK. Conservative MP Felicity Buchan told voters at the Al-Manaar Mosque and Cultural Center yesterday (June 18) that her party would increase the tax-free state pension allowance in what they called the ‘Triple Lock Plus’.

Labour’s Joe Powell said he would back the current “triple lock” scheme to increase state pensions in line with inflation, pay rises or by 2.5%, whichever is greater. Emma Dent Coad, who is running as an independent after resigning from the Labor Party last year, said she would make it easier for pensioners to claim unclaimed entitlements.

All candidates, including William Houngbo and Mona Adam, who are running for the Green Party, including the Liberal Democrats, have backed the idea of ​​a commissioner for the elderly. Ms Buchan said older people should be “at the heart” of government thinking but did not back the idea and said the Tories had invested £8.5 billion in social care over the past two years and argued that the lists for the elderly to receive care are longer. in worker-led constituencies.

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She said: “Older 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 older people living in what she described as deep poverty and said women face a 40 per cent pension gap to men. She said she wants to reduce the number of elderly residents who turn to food banks for support.

All the candidates have pledged to fix Britain’s welfare system. Mr Powell pledged to back 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 expressed their support for the re-opening of 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 police budget by the Government.

Powell said he wanted to see £2billion invested in policing and youth clubs and said the housing crisis had made it impossible for officers to live in the capital. He said Labor would provide an extra 1,300 officers for London. Mr Houngbo said he wanted a more “proactive” police force.

Ms Dent Coad and Mr Powell promised to increase social housing rates locally, while criticizing the lack of such homes in a major new development in Ladbroke Grove, built by Ballymore and Sainsbury’s. Mr Powell said: “When you look at young people in this borough, the biggest problem they have with politicians is that they have failed on housing.”

Ms Buchan stressed that any development must be in line with local conservation objectives. Candidates locked in on the environment. Ms Buchan said she pushed to install electric charging points in new homes, while Ms Dent Coad accused the government of “off-shoring” emissions through trading.

Mr Houngbo said he would prioritize cycling in the constituency. Ms Adam drew attention to her party’s ‘Air Equality’ policy and said there were disproportionately high rates of air pollution in Kensington and Bayswater.

Powell said school children have been breathing air above WHO guidelines for years. He is pushing to make all buses electric by 2030. On schooling, he said Labor would provide more teachers, mental health counselors in every school and free breakfast for schoolchildren. Ms Buchan claimed Labour’s plan to remove VAT relief for private schools would backfire and said there had been an increase from 84% of state schools to 95c with a good or outstanding Ofsted rating under the Conservative government .

All the candidates have promised to work with families bereaved by the Grenfell Tower fire. Ms Dent Coad said more than a million people were housed in homes with hazardous clothing and reiterated the need to seek justice for victims of the disaster.

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