Labour conference - live: Triple lock pension 'could be reviewed' as Andy Burnham prepares biggest speech yet

Labour conference - live: Triple lock pension 'could be reviewed' as Andy Burnham prepares biggest speech yet Andy Burnham will address the Labour Party conference in Liverpool today pledging to tackle issues that politicians usually avoid - sparking speculation that the triple lock pension could be in his sights to fund a social care shake-up Andy Burnham will give the most important speech of his premiership so far - pledging to tackle issues that politicians "usually avoid". The Prime Minister will address the Labour Party conference at 2pm, with speculation swirling that the pension triple lock may be in his sights as he sets out plans for a social care shake-up. On Tuesday morning Education Secretary Lucy Powell refused to rule out a change to the triple lock in the long term - but said it will remain in place until the general election. Last night The Mirror revealed the PM will set out plans for greater public control of energy. He warned businesses are left shouldering the cost of energy prices dictated by markets miles away. GB Grid, a new publicly-owned company, will aim to speed up grid connections for businesses and drive down costs by increasing competition in the market. 'Big conversations' Pressed about the triple lock, Education Secretary Lucy Powell said that solving the social care crisis won't be solved without "big conversations" about spending. She told Sky News she does not know what Mr Burnham will say in his speech, but hinted there may be references to the triple lock. Ms Powell was unequivocal that any possible changes to the state pension protection would not come until after the general election. Ms Powell said: "We are committed to the triple lock, it's in our manifesto. The triple lock has really delivered for pensioners in this country. Over the course of this parliament, I think we're going to see state pension rising by about £2,000 a year, significantly. "And that's really important so pensioners can know, pensioners watching your show today can know, that their income is secure and will continue to rise over the course of this parliament. "I don't know what Andy's going to say about that today, but I know that what he's talking about is this big conversation about solving these big problems, but being really honest with people that they come at a cost. "They do come at a cost. You can't just solve the social care crisis without having the big conversations about how you're going to do that." Is the pensions triple lock in danger? Is the triple lock in danger? Well, there's long been speculation that the state pension protection may not be sustainable in the long run, particularly with huge spending pressures around the corner. We know that Andy Burnham has ambitious plans to overhaul the social care sector, which will be far from cheap. And the triple lock - which guarantees pensions rise by either 2.5%, the average wage growth or inflation, depending on which is higher - will undoubtedly be something to consider. Last night Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the government is committed to it in this Parliament. But further ahead? Well, that's unclear. He told Times Radio: "We're absolutely committed to our manifesto commitment, which is the triple lock in this Parliament. So it's really important that pensioners know their incomes are going to rise. That's the guarantee, effectively, what a triple lock means to people. You're going to be better off." But asked whether Labour may scrap it after 2029, he said: "That's for the future. I can only tell you here and now, as a government elected on a manifesto, that's the manifesto that we will stick to." PM to announce huge plan to tackle 'broken energy market' Andy Burnham will pledge to drive down energy costs with a new publicly-owned Great British Grid to overhaul the "broken energy market". In his big speech to Labour conference, the Prime Minister will set out plans for greater public control of energy as he warned firms and businesses are left shouldering the cost of energy prices dictated by markets miles away. GB Grid, a new publicly-owned company, will aim to speed up grid connections for businesses and drive down costs by increasing competition in the market. It will also make it easier for firms waiting to connect to build infrastructure themselves so they don't have to wait. It marks the first major step in Mr Burnham's drive to bring essential services back into public control. He told the Mirror last week that Britain took a "series of wrong turns" in the 1980s when the Tories sold off a string of core utilities. Britain’s energy grid, which was privatised by Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s, gets electricity and gas flowing around the country to homes and businesses. But the ageing grid has suffered from decades of underinvestment, with firms criticising slow connections and the massive backlog to join the transmission network as a blocker for investment. The PM will say: “We have a cost crisis. We all know it. The price of energy is crippling for businesses, and British billpayers pay some of the highest energy costs in Europe. We have an energy system where prices are dictated in markets miles away, while families and businesses here shoulder the costs. Once again, the British public has lost control. “Within ten years, I want our energy costs to be in line with other nations in Europe. That means we must reform a broken energy market so it serves the public interest. “I can announce today our plan for Great British Grid, a publicly owned company that will work with the private sector and network companies. It will increase competition to drive down costs and speed up delivery so businesses can connect faster and grow quicker. This is what more public control can do.”