'Labour always picks pockets of pensioners.That's why they will make them pay tax on the state pension for the first time'

LABOUR will "pick the pockets" of pensioners by clobbering them with a huge tax rise and putting key benefits at risk, Rishi Sunak said yesterday.

- Martyn Brown and Sam Lister

The Prime Minister claimed Sir Keir Starmer's party will saddle retirees with a levy on state pensions for the first time in history, if it gets into power next week.

Winter Fuel Payments, free bus passes, free prescriptions and free TV licences could also be at risk.

Labour's election manifesto failed to include any specific reference to those pensioner benefits, leaving the door open to scrapping them entirely.

The party denies this but Mr Sunak told the Daily Express: "Labour will always pick the pockets of pensioners.

"That's why they will make pensioners pay tax on the state pension for the first time in history.

"And Labour will always put up taxes to pay for their unfunded spending commitments.

"That's why they've kept the £2,094 in higher taxes they will levy on working people out of their manifesto. Starmer can't hide from the facts. His party is still the same old Labour."

Cabinet Office Minister Esther McVey said: "This is a disgraceful attack on the dignity of pensioners. This is what an unaccountable Labour supermajority would do.

"The only way to protect pensioners is to vote Conservative." Recent figures show more than 12.8 million people are eligible for an older person's bus pass and 11.4 million pensioners receive a Winter Fuel Payment.