Rememberance Sunday/UK pensioners

[Ivanhoe]

While we remember the men who lost their lives in two World Wars to give us the freedom we have today.

I will ask you to think about the lousy State pension our "living" war veterans and younger pensioners are supposed to be able to live on according to government policy.

The basic State pension is just £97.26p a week this is what the government think our pensioners should be able to live on.

I think this meagre amount is a national disgrace and should shame us all.

The State pension is just too low, and pensioners should not have to "grovel" for means tested handouts.

Ide like to read your views on this, particularly while "we remember".

 
 
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[Papaumau]

Even while our Edna seems to think that the British pensioners are as well off as she is, it is a fact that most of them ARE NOT.

It is a FACT that we in Britain have the smallest state pensions of any or all of the similar European states and government after government of all hues here seem unable or unwilling to even attempt to fix this problem.

We all know - or should know - that it was the early last Tory government under Thatcher that disconnected the state pension with average earnings and re-connected it to the inflation rate and ever since that dispicable act was carried out the British state pension has been getting eroded away in real terms. It is now worth only half of what it would have been worth if this connection had still been in force.

Gordon Brown HAS promised to reconnect this parity but even he is not willing to do this until after five years have passed. By that time we will probably be under a new Tory government and the chance of this parity being made and any backdating being done will disappear forever.

As Ivanhoe says, this dispicable situation is compounded at this time when we are thinking of the service personnel that gave their lives for us in past wars that did not even live to get a state pension. Now all we see are the ones that remain that are struggling to survive with a government pittance to see them through the few winters they have left.

This situation is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG and there is no way that anyone can suggest that it is in any way RIGHT !

We pensioners on this forum and off it should be sticking together so that any government can see that we are standing together in solidarity so that we are finally given some respect and treated as we demand we should be treated.

My own father went right through the last war in bomber command and he survived until 1948 only to be killed while on maritime patrol duty in a Lancaster bomber accident on The Med' duing the start of the first Palestine troubles.

He didn't live to become a pensioner but if he had I am sure that he too would also be ashamed of the situation as it stands today !

[Ivanhoe]

Papaumau, Agreed, Agreed, Agreed.

But Britain's pensioners will never be consolidated due to political differences, plus far too many pensioners have been brought off by the means tested handouts introduced by New Labour, basically the government have shut pensioners, up.

[Papaumau]

Yes Ivanhoe, they have tried, but I think that you will find that the well-known "grey vote" is a vote that worries all of them.

While this link goes back to 2004 it STILL shows that we are a force to be reckoned with if we stick together.

Take a look http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3995205.stm

That is why I say that it is destructive and petty for us to be at each-other's throats when we should all be singing from the same hymn sheet and ensuring that our enemies are the ones that are denying us our rights.

[Ivanhoe]

Papaumau, Yes ive been to the link and read it, but already know everything on  it.

I personally do not believe that UK pensioners are a threat to any government, I do believe however that Tory voting middle england are a threat, because they see themselves as the new aristocrats, too willing to look down on their fellows with much superiority.

[Hells Granny]

My grandfather fought in the Great War, my father and two uncles in the Second World War. My grandmother was a Postwoman and my mother and aunt helped build Wellington Bombers at Vickers. Later my mother was transferred to Barnes Wallace's staff.

I was brought up to remember and honour the sacrifices made by all who lived through Both Wars.

None of them are here now, but my father always said that he personally fought in the War because he believed in the 'Four Freedoms' which were printed on the Services' scrip.

They were:

Freedom From Want,

Freedom From Fear,

Freedom Of Speech.

Freedom Of Religion.


How many can you see in today's Society?

Wars are still being waged by our Govenment, in our name, but certainly not at my behest.

Cheers, HG

[Ivanhoe]

Excellent.

The answer is none.

[Papaumau]

I have to believe that those sacrifices were not in vain because if I did not believe that I would probably not have the desire to get out of bed in the morning.

Yes HG, those four rights are the very least we should expect in any modern and democratic society but sadly many of them - while they still exist - are being eroded year on year by the ones that do not care.

Like anything worth having we find that none of these things ever come easy and it is only by our constant vigilance and our constant desire to get what we are due that we DO still get it.

Maybe I am a bit of an old cynic but I have always felt that such things are not given freely, especially if they cost money in the first place and even our magnificent welfare state needs to be tweaked by our interest on regular occasions.

The plight of the pensioners in this country is one of those causes that is forefront in my mind as the rights of "freedom from fear" and "freedom from want" apply to us especially.

[Ivanhoe]

Papaumau, As one who is not known for blowing hs own trumpet, ive been in the pensioners corner for 20 years, and it's futile if you have no supporters in your locality.

[Papaumau]

Papaumau, As one who is not known for blowing hs own trumpet, ive been in the pensioners corner for 20 years, and it's futile if you have no supporters in your locality.

Personal invective aside.........

The supporters are there Ivanhoe, you just have to look for them !

If you look in any local newspaper you will find a many pensioners groups even if they are only restricted to Darby and Joan clubs. Many active pensioners go out of doors and get involved with local political groups and many even sit on community councils. I myself served on my local Children's Panel group for three years after I had retired from the civil service and before I reached 65. I now meet with like-minded pensioners and others in half a dozen out-of-house groups, not to mention that I run my own set of consumer forums on Ripped-Off Britain - below.

As my old Irish grannie said, ( which I mentioned elsewhere here today ), one of the qualities that are needed to be an active and fulfilled pensioner is a "good imagination !" ( as well as good health and a bit of money of course ).

In other words don't just sit there waiting for that "support", go out and find it.   

[Ivanhoe]

Papaumau, Where I live there are no active apolitical pensioners pressure groups campaigning for higher state pensions ect.

However I do belong to a group some 60 mles from me because they are the nearest, and I have met them.

But where I live, and despite 20 years of letter writing on pensioners issues to my local and regional press, nobody has ever come forward to help me build up such a group in my locality.

I can do no more, but thanks for the advice