Keir Starmer Sparks Backlash After Ignoring Massive Pensioner Petition on Tax Crisis

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is under fire after failing to respond to a petition from older citizens asking that state pensions not be taxed. A campaign group called Silver Voices delivered the petition to 10 Downing Street four weeks ago, with 115,000 people signing in support. That number has now grown to 125,000. But so far, neither Starmer nor Chancellor Rachel Reeves has acknowledged or replied to the concerns raised.

Dennis Reed, who leads the over-60s campaign group, said this is not the first time pensioners have been ignored. A similar petition about Winter Fuel Payments was also overlooked last autumn. This time, however, Reed said there is “no excuse” and accused the government of ignoring the needs of elderly people.

He said it’s disappointing that while the government gets involved in other issues like trade union disputes or the steel industry, it won’t take the time to respond to more than 100,000 people asking for fair treatment. Reed warned that taxing state pensions would hurt many retirees who already live on limited incomes.

A recent Freedom of Information request revealed that around 12 million more people could be pushed into paying income tax in the next three years because tax thresholds have been frozen. Over 5 million of them are aged 60 and above.

Former prime minister Rishi Sunak had previously warned that pensioners on the basic state pension could soon be taxed unless the income threshold rises. He suggested a “triple lock plus” system, which would allow pensioners’ tax-free income limit to rise at the same rate as the state pension, helping them avoid new tax bills. However, Labour dismissed this idea, calling it unrealistic.

Silver Voices, in their letter to the government, asked for the income tax threshold for pensioners to be raised by at least £1,000 immediately and increased every year in line with pension growth. They warned that taxing the basic pension could push many older people into poverty, going against the whole purpose of having a pension in the first place—which is to protect dignity in old age.

Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling said the government has made life harder for pensioners by cutting support, removing fuel payments, and now considering pension taxes. He accused both Labour and the Conservatives of failing the elderly.

Lee Anderson from Reform UK was even more critical. He said the government seems completely indifferent or even hostile toward pensioners, especially after Silver Voices received no response at all to their petition or follow-ups.

When asked why the petition has gone unanswered, the Treasury didn’t give a clear reason. A spokesperson said the government supports pensioners through measures like freezing fuel duty and increasing pensions, helping pensioner couples be better off by up to £88 a month. They also argued that because pensions are a type of income, they are subject to tax like other earnings.

Still, critics say that without proper action, more older people will struggle financially, and trust in the government’s commitment to pensioners will continue to erode.