Tory parliamentary candidate Gordon Henderson has urged the Govenrment against “weaselling out of” giving pensioners an increase in pay.

Mr Henderson wrote to the Chancellor of the Exchequeur asking for assurance elderly people will get an increase in their state pensions next year in line with inflation.

He said state pensions have been upgraded every April based on figures for the previous September and thinks inflation next month will hit five per cent.

Mr Henderson said: “I am concerned that the Government will not be able to afford to increase pensions by that amount and will find some way of weaselling out of its commitment.

“I have written to the chancellor and asked for an assurance that he will not introduce a new way of calculating pensions that would see pensioners lose out.

“I want to see pensioners get at least a five per cent increase next April, anything less would be an insult.”