The Express today calls on Rachel Reeves to reverse a “cruel stealth raid” that will force the poorest pensioners into paying income tax. Our Stop Labour’s Retirement Tax crusade demands that the Chancellor take immediate action to protect the dignity of older people.

It comes after we revealed that one million more people will be clobbered by her income tax threshold freeze because she hugely underestimated the number who will be hit. That number could rise further amid warnings that the Middle East crisis will drive inflation up to 3% this year. Ms Reeves has previously promised that pensioners whose sole income is the state pension will not pay income tax.

Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride said: “Rachel Reeves promised to end the tax threshold freeze, then performed a screeching U-turn and extended it for years.

“That means pensioners will be dragged further and further into the tax net, even if the State Pension is all they have to live off.”

Sir Mel, who will today (Wed) launch a Conservative Party campaign demanding a government u-turn, added: “Last week we learned that a million more pensioners would be dragged into paying tax by this policy than was previously thought, but the Chancellor did nothing.

“Labour are scrambling to find a workaround.

“Meanwhile pensioners are left in the dark about whether they will have to pay. Labour would rather put billions into benefits spending than give people security in retirement.”

The details were buried in forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility last week that revealed Britain’s record tax burden will rise higher than previously expected.

Ms Reeves announced the amount of annual income that triggers an income tax bill will remain at £12,570 until 2031 when she set out her Budget in November.

The OBR revealed this would result in an additional one million people on the state pension being brought into paying income tax by 2030/31.

Former pensioners minister Sir Steve Webb, a partner at pension consultants LCP, has said the underestimation strengthens the case for a “full review” of the starting point of income tax, especially for pensioners.

Dennis Reed, director of over-60s campaign group Silver Voices, said: “The government has rushed up a blind alley on this and they need to make a 180 degree turn and go back the way they came.

“This is a cruel state pension tax grab from someone who promised that poorer pensions will not have to pay tax.”

The value of the state pension has increased over the last few years because of the triple lock, which guarantees an annual increase by whichever is the highest of inflation, wage growth or 2.5%, while successive chancellors have frozen the threshold at which people start to pay tax.

It means the value of the state pension will exceed the zero rate personal allowance from 2027/28, so older people whose only income is the state pension will be dragged into paying income tax on the payments for the first time.

At the last election, the Tories promised a “triple lock-plus”, which included a pledge to introduce a tax break to stop those who only receive the state pension from being dragged into paying income tax.

The Tories are demanding that the Chancellor must raise the Personal Allowance from £12,570 or create a specific exemption for those caught in the net.

Helen Whately, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, said: “Pensioners worked hard, paid their taxes and built this country.

“They should not be dragged into paying income tax on the State Pension because of Labour’s botched tax policy.

“The State Pension is meant to provide security and dignity in retirement. The Conservatives will stand up for pensioners and fight Labour’s Retirement Tax so those who have done the right thing all their lives are not punished in retirement.”

A change.org petition to stop the state pension being taxed has now reached more than 200,000 signatures.

The OBR warned on Tuesday that inflation is likely to be 1% higher in 2026 because of the Iran conflict.

This could impact the rate at which pensions rise under the Triple Lock rules, dragging even more into paying tax.

The Treasury has been contacted for comment.