Pensioners Lobby Parliament for Decent Pension

Large numbers of pensioners came to lobby Parliament today for a decent pension. In the 1980s Mrs Thatcher’s government abolished the link between pension increases and the rise in earnings. As a result pensioners are now over £30 per week worse off.

The Prime Minister has promised to restore this link in 2012 if the country can afford it.

Pensioners demanded today that the link should be restored immediately.

I agree. We still have 3 miilion pensioners living in poverty according to the Government’s own figures. 25,000 die every winter through cold related conditions. This is not acceptable in Britain today, which is the 5th richest country in the world.

I have been campaigning for the restoration of the earnings link ever since I was elected to Parliament and have tried to amend the budget each year to secure this reform. Today’s pensioners’ lobby of Parliament will help pressurise the Government into acting on this.

I filmed part of the rally in Central Hall, Westminster before going off to meet a group of pensioners to offer my supprt to their campaign.

submitted by John on 23 Oct 2008 at 00:17