- Tory Grundy says prime minister should set out a vision for society in conference speech
Lord Frost yesterday suggested the state pension age should be raised to 75 to reduce public spending and the state.
The Conservative Grand Duchess, who was former prime minister Boris Johnson’s Brexit negotiator, was speaking at a fringe party conference on the future of conservatism.
He urged ministers to cut public spending and taxes and aim for growth, acknowledging that this would require changes to the state pension.
“Honestly, I think we need to raise the pension age considerably to solve this problem,” he said. [of reducing public expenditure].
“That seems like the best way out of this situation in the medium term.”
When asked if the age should be raised to 70, he answered, “75, which is quite high.”
He added: “People are much healthier than they used to be and I think we need to improve on that.” The big blocks of spending are health care, pensions, and benefits. If you don’t work on them, you’re not really working on anything.
“We also need to do things like freeze, or something close to freezing, public sector health budgets, and find socially just and acceptable ways to somehow shift future spending to the private sector. If not, then it’s just a matter of course.”I think about half of the budget will be absorbed in the near future. ”
He also criticized Rishi Sunak’s “managerial” style of leadership.
Asked what he would like to hear from Mr Sunak in his conference speech tomorrow, he added: “If we win again, I want him to paint a picture of how a Conservative Britain will be different from a Labor Britain.”
“What is your vision of society?” How should it function? What is the role of government and individuals? What is Conservative Britain?
“You always knew what Mrs Thatcher wanted to create and we don’t understand it.
“I also want him to promise tax cuts and accompanying spending cuts before the next election.”
The national pension age is currently 66 years old. In March, ministers postponed a decision on when to start raising the state pension age.