Shadow work and pensions minister Alex Cunningham, pictured, said the state pension age should not be fixed but should instead reflect a worker's health, income and job role

Labour wants to make middle-class professionals retire later than working-class people with manual jobs.

Shadow work and pensions minister Alex Cunningham said the state pension age should not be fixed but should instead reflect a worker's health, income and job role.

He added that retirement should be based on life expectancy - a proposal that critics have claimed will let smokers and the obese quit work early.

It comes amid Government plans to bring forward the raising of the state pension age from 67 to 68 by seven years in a shake-up that will affect everyone under 47.

It means the increase in the pension age will now come into force from 2037 and not 2044 as stated in legislation.

In Mr Cunningham's Stockton North constituency, the life expectancy of men in the poorest wards is 16 years less than those in richer areas.

He says that means poorer workers in manual industries could be 'lucky to get the state pension for a handful of years before dying'.

The Labour MP added: 'The proposal to raise the state pension age even further all but wipes out the chances of many of our people enjoying a few years of retirement in good health.

'The state pension should be flexible and recognise the contribution that people have made to our country.'

It comes amid Government plans to bring forward the raising of the state pension age from 67 to 68 by seven years in a shake-up that will affect everyone under 47 (stock photo)

Conservative peer Baroness Altmann said: 'Building lifestyle factors into the state pension isn't right at all'

However, Conservative peer Baroness Altmann warned that the opposition's approach could mean smokers or those who are obese could retire earlier.

She told The Telegraph: 'I think Labour's approach is too broad. You don't want to incentivise people in any way to have an unhealthy lifestyle.

'Building lifestyle factors into the state pension isn't right at all.'

In July this year the Government was today accused of 'picking the pockets' of millions of people in their forties after it raised the state pension age.

The major shift, which will save the Government billions of pounds in the coming decades, was the central recommendation in a review by the former CBI chief Sir John Cridland.