Cameron backtracks on retirement age

LONDON, Oct. 6 (UPI) -- British Conservative Party leader David Cameron says that he has no intention of mandating a sudden rise in the age at which Britons can obtain state pensions.

Contradicting claims made by Tory aides that under a Conservative government a jump in the retirement age from 65 to 66 would be introduced within seven rather than 17 years, Cameron told the BBC Tuesday that was only an option being considered, The Times of London reported.

Cameron reportedly said that 2016 was merely the earliest that changes could take effect in the Tories' bid to save billions of pounds per year and shave Britain's record budget deficit.

Saying a higher retirement age age is a "sober, reasonable, realistic" response to lengthening life expectancies and the budget crisis, Cameron told the BBC: "One of the reasons for looking at this issue through a review is there are complexities but I think the big step to take is the step we are taking today which is to say the previous agreement we all had that 2026 was the right year is not ambitious enough, we need to go further."