The SNP’s backing for the pension triple lock is not political, First Minister John Swinney said as he recommitted to the policy if he was in charge of an independent Scotland.
Mr Swinney has attacked the UK Government’s decision to scrap the average earnings element of the triple lock – meaning pensions will rise by the higher of 2.5% or the rate of inflation – in 2030 to fund a national care service for England.
The First Minister has drawn the ire of opposition parties over his claim in Holyrood that people in Scotland will “lose their pensions”, with both Labour and the Scottish Tories accusing him of misleading Parliament.
On Monday, he announced his independent advisers decided there was no need to investigate whether he misled Parliament, saying he considered “this matter closed”.
Speaking to the Press Association, Mr Swinney rejected claims the backing is for political gain, given he is not in a position where he would be required to fund the policy and pensioners are seen as a strong voting bloc.
“No, I think what pensioners in Scotland had a reasonable expectation of was the application of the triple lock,” he said.
“I think they were told in 2014 (during the independence referendum campaign) their pensions were safe in the United Kingdom.”
Put to him that pensions remain safe, the First Minister added: “Scottish pensioners are going to lose out as a consequence of the abolition of the triple lock, and that’s the blunt point that I’m making.
“I know that is very, very uncomfortable for some of my political rivals to come to terms with, but that’s the reality of what’s going to happen.”
Asked if an independent Scotland would retain the policy, the First Minister said: “I’m committed to the triple lock and I’m committed to being the first prime minister of an independent Scotland, and I relish the challenges of delivering on those commitments.”
The First Minister stopped short of saying the triple lock would feature in the written constitution of an independent Scotland, but added: “People should be in no doubt that I’m committed to the triple lock.”
Mr Swinney’s comments come after a respected expert rejected his claims that pensioners in Scotland would lose out on £4 billion a year by 2050 and see no benefit.
David Phillips, the associate director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, told the Scottish Sun last week it was “just wrong” to suggest no money would come to Scotland as a result of the increased spending on social care in England.
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: “John Swinney resorted to scaremongering by telling Scots they’ll lose their pensions.
“He knows this is untrue but refuses to correct the record.
“The harsh reality is that he has never once explained how pensions would be paid if he ever achieved his plans to separate Scotland from the rest of the United Kingdom.”