The state pension should be means-tested like the winter fuel allowance so more money can be spent on young people, a leading campaigner appeared to suggest live on GB News.
The CEO of The Youth Vote claimed he is "fed up" with pensioners being protected as he welcomed the cut to winter fuel payments in a furious debate, which you can watch in full above.
Labour's plan to scrap the universal £300 benefit has sparked worry for countless state pensioners who may lose vital energy bill support, with millions surviving on incomes of little more than £11,000 per year, unable to claim pension credit.
But speaking on GB News, Alexander Cairns attacked the £126billion spent annually on pensioners and said "choices" needed to be made, urging the Labour Government to take further action.
He said: "Let's remember the state pension costs £124billion, plus the £2billion of winter fuel payments. We're talking about 20 per cent of the Government budget for 15 per cent of the population.
Alexander Cairns claimed the annual state pension bill was far too high
GB News
"It's a ridiculous situation where, every single year, pensioners are looked after, when there's a big portion of the country where we've seen young people that can't afford houses.
"We've seen youth clubs close, mental health services cut, the transport situation. HS2 has overspent. We spent £600million on Rwanda. We spent £2billion on wasted PPE.
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"The reality is Government is about choices, and actually the Labour Government are looking at this situation.
"Even Kemi Badenoch last year talked about the fact that it [the winter fuel allowance] should be means-tested.
"We've got a lot of people that aren't poor pensioners, they actually are pensioners that have money.
"These are people that worked their whole life. They probably have assets, they have properties. They have lots of different ways of getting income, and actually, lots of them didn't even need the winter fuel payments that they were eligible for."
He went on: "These are difficult choices. Every single part of society will be affected in some way.
"I'm fed up of pensioners always being protected. Every part of society is going to feel the punch as we go through a period of trying to clear up 14 years of poor economic decisions.
"I just mentioned that it costs us £124billion every year for the state pension. There are lots of young working people that don't see any benefit at all. We have an ageing population so what are we going to do?
The winter fuel payment is being means-tested causing many pensioners to be affected
GETTY"We're just going to keep on going to keep on giving pensioners more money and then letting young people not have any additional budget for anything? It’s a ridiculous situation.
"We all know pensioners got looked after because they vote in their droves. That's the only reason why, for many, many years, Governments have given pensioners what they want: because they vote."
Political Consultant Suzanne Evans was left outraged by this rant and responded: "I'm absolutely appalled at what I'm hearing here.
"You know, we have something in this country called the Equality Act, I've been quite a critic of it, but I think Alex has just about broken every rule in it.
Suzanne Evans said she was "appalled" by the comments about pensioners
GB News
"The ageism coming from his mouth I actually find quite absolutely appalling and astonishing.
"Saying I'm sick to death of having to protect pensioners, pensioners who have paid for their pension, pensioners who have worked.
"I'm sorry, I am sick to death of young people in this country not having respect for their elders, not having respect for people who have paid into their pension pots, who have worked damned hard all their lives.
"Young people seem to think they don't deserve to have a happy old age. What do you want Alex?
"Do you want us to send them away? To send them all to Switzerland [to be euthanised]? Because the way you're talking I am frankly appalled."
