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Nigel Farage has warned Andy Burnham not to attack the triple lock, in a barnstorming speech in Doncaster. Unleashing on the Prime Minister just days after Mr Burnham declared war on pensioners, the Reform UK leader warned the PM to prepare for a fight. Declaring he would rather cut foreign aid, false benefits claims and the billions spent on housing illegal migrants instead of axing the triple lock, Mr Farage tore into the PM.

The Prime Minister used his Labour Conference speech this week to announce he would end the income protection, which sees the state pension increase by inflation, average earnings or 2.5% each year. This paper has long campaigned to protect the triple lock, and will continue to do so as Mr Burnham threatens to axe it. Savings from the cut would be used to partially fund a new National Care Service, and would come into force in 2030, Mr Burnham said.

Mr Farage said Reform UK was the party of “those who have worked, paid into the system, and now deserve a decent retirement, and we will protect the triple lock.”

Blasting Mr Burnham, he told a party rally: “I would rather cut the foreign aid budget than get rid of the triple lock. I would rather cut those falsely claiming benefits than get rid of the triple lock, and I would rather cut the billions of pounds we spend putting up those who cross the Channel illegally than get rid of the triple lock.”

Mr Burnham has come under sustained criticism for his move, including from trade union chiefs.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham told the Express: “Whilst the adding of the average earnings element to the double lock is a welcome move and has given some assurances to vulnerable older people, the wrong lever to pay for a much-needed national social care service is being pulled.

“Why are we taking the predicted £15billion from pensioners and not the wealthy? The question of ‘who pays’ is an important one and one that will define a direction of travel.

“The state pension is about £12,500 at the higher level. We pay less state pension than Ireland and are the joint lowest as a proportion of GDP in the G7. The demise of final salary pension schemes as generations become older will mean pensioner poverty will increase. More will need to be done on this.”

Silver Voices director Dennis Reed said: “Rather than hope, most pensioners will feel powerless and hopeless following the shock decision to scrap the triple lock.

“Once again, Labour has singled out older people to show its imagined strength and reassure the bond markets. Why are we always the first port of call?

“Burnham is on notice: you face the mother of all political battles if you persist with these plans.”