British PM pledges to raise state pension for canvassing support votes

British Prime Minister David Cameron pledged on Sunday to guarantee rises of the basic state pension if the Conservative Party win the 2015 general election. He said if he is re-elected in the next general election he will maintain the so-called "triple lock" for the duration of the next parliament, ensuring that pensions rise by at least 2.5 percent a year until 2020. In an interview with the Sunday Times, Cameron said it was "fair" to prioritize pensions even at a time when benefits for younger people were being slashed. Cameron's pledge to raise state pension is described by media as move to attract elderly voters. Meanwhile, Cameron also hinted to cut taxes for all workers. He said: "I want to see an economy that is performing strongly enough where we can afford to allow people to keep more of their own money to spend as they choose. " He added: "We' re cutting taxes this year, achieving the 10,000 pounds personal allowance which, when taken with out other changes, make people 705 pounds a year better off." A new poll commissioned by former Conservative Chairman Michael Ashcroft published on Sunday said the Conservetative Party had lost the support of a third of those who voted for it in the last election held in 2010. Some 37 percent people who voted Conservative Party in 2010 said that they would not do so tomorrow. However, Cameron rejected suggestions it was a purely political move aimed at attracting older voters back to the Tory fold. In an interview with the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Cameron said: "It's a choice based on values, based on my values." "People who have worked hard, who have done the right thing, who have provided for their families, they should then know they will get a decent state pension and they don't have to worry about it lagging behind prices or earnings and I think that's the right choice for the country." He said the government also had to do more to help young people such as increasing the number of apprenticeships. The other major political parties, the Lib Dems and Labour, have both supported the pensions "triple lock" but have made no commitment about whether they would keep it after the next election. The "triple lock" system which was agreed in 2010 meant the basic state pension rose by 5.2 percent in 2012, or 5.30 pounds a week, the largest cash rise ever seen. BBC Political reporter Brian Wheeler said, that all politicians know there are votes in appealing to the older generation. That is why Labour and the Lib Dems are unlikely to oppose David Cameron's state pension "guarantee" despite concerns it will increase the transfer of wealth in Britain from young to old.