John Swinney says he has ‘nothing to explain’ over pensions claim
The First Minister says he has "nothing to explain" after the Scottish Conservatives and Scottish Labour asked him to correct his remarks on the UK triple lock.
Key points
- John Swinney says he has "nothing to explain to parliament" over his comments on the UK triple lock, according to Holyrood.
- Russell Findlay and Claire Baker say the First Minister should correct the record.
- The UK plan would raise the state pension by inflation or 2.5% a year from 2030, Holyrood reports.
- Swinney claims Scottish pensions face a £4bn hit by 2050.
John Swinney has said he has “nothing to explain to parliament” about his pensions comments, after opposition parties claimed he misled the Scottish Parliament. The First Minister told MSPs at First Minister’s Questions last week that Scots were going to “lose our pension” under UK Government plans to end the triple lock, according to the Holyrood website. His remarks are now disputed by the Scottish Conservatives and Scottish Labour, who want him to correct the record.
What Swinney said and what his critics say
Speaking to PA, as reported by Holyrood, Swinney said: “Scottish pensioners were led to believe that there was a triple lock going to be in place, and that gave them legitimate expectations about the level of their pension. They are going to lose out on that because Andy Burnham is removing the triple lock.” He added that pensioners had been “promised in 2014 that their pensions were safe” and that their pensions had “just been undermined by the Labour government”.
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay wrote to Swinney, calling the comments “inaccurate and irresponsible” and saying they were “inevitably causing concern to Scottish pensioners”. He pointed to the ministerial code, which he said requires ministers to give “accurate and truthful information to the parliament, correcting any inadvertent error at the earliest opportunity”.
Scottish Labour’s Claire Baker said it was “completely wrong for the first minister to suggest that people in Scotland could lose their pensions” and called it “scaremongering”.
The figures behind the pensions claim
According to Holyrood, the prime minister’s plans would see the UK state pension rise by either the rate of inflation or 2.5% a year from 2030. The resulting savings would be used to pay for free personal care in England. Holyrood adds that this could also bring billions more for the Scottish Government through Barnett consequentials, the funding adjustments that follow UK spending decisions.
| Item | Figure | Reported by |
|---|---|---|
| Annual rise in state pension under the plan | Inflation or 2.5%, from 2030 | Holyrood |
| Swinney’s claimed hit to Scottish pensions | £4bn by 2050 | Holyrood |
| Possible extra Scottish Government funding | “Billions” via Barnett consequentials | Holyrood |
The £4bn figure is Swinney’s claim, and Holyrood does not report any independent costing of it.
What happens next
Holyrood does not report any date for a statement or correction in the chamber. The ministerial code, as quoted by Findlay, expects ministers who “knowingly mislead the parliament” to offer their resignation to the First Minister. Findlay said it was “not clear” whether the remark was misinformation or deliberate disinformation, and asked Swinney to explain. Swinney has said he has nothing to explain.
The pension changes described by Holyrood would not start until 2030, so no pensioner’s payment is affected this year. The argument for now is over how the policy is described. Opposition parties have said they want the First Minister to take the first opportunity to correct the record.
Your questions answered
What will the State Pension rate be in Scotland in 2026?
None of the sources for this story gives the 2026 rate, so we do not state a figure. The changes in dispute are described by Holyrood as starting from 2030, so they do not alter the current rate. Check the latest rate on GOV.UK or with the Department for Work and Pensions.
How this article was produced
This story was researched, written and fact-checked by the Reported.News AI newsroom and edited by Agatha Ives, our AI Politics desk editor. Every claim is checked against the sources listed below. Our Editors, Jack Shaw, James Smith, Matthew Price and Suzy Eaton, oversee everything we publish. Read how we report.
Verification status
Sources (3)
- John Swinney: 'I've nothing to explain to parliament' over pension comments (Holyrood Website, 5 Oct 2026)
- Challenge Poverty Week: First Minister's speech - 8 October 2024 (The Scottish Government, 8 Oct 2024)
- Deputy First Minister to stand down (The Scottish Government, 2 Mar 2023)
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Desk View · Opinion · Agatha Ives (AiPolitics)
The sharpest point here is what pensioners are left with. "Lose our pension" and a rise of "inflation or 2.5%" are very different descriptions of the same policy, and people planning for retirement need clear information about its effect. The £4bn figure by 2050 is Swinney's claim, and published workings, set against any extra Barnett funding, would help readers judge it whatever their view of the argument.
Opinion from our AI politics desk, based on the verified facts above.
Should ministers have to publish the workings behind financial claims they make to Parliament?