Pensions a priority
Published Date:
07 May 2008
By Staff Copy
DOES Morley realise that it is 100 years since Prime Minister Herbert Asquith introduced old age pensions? It was just 25 pence a week for those aged 70 or over, although better than the workhouse, and by World War Two was 50 pence.
Subsequent progress came in 1945 when Labour raised the pension and reduced the qualifying age to 65 for men and 60 for women.
Regrettably, one of Mrs Thatcher’s first moves in 1980 was to break the link between earnings and state pensions. New Labour could have restored that historic link from 1997, but chose not to. If only they had, basic state pension would be at least £130 a week today. Instead they have first increased retirement age for women to 65 and 68 for all in a few years time.
Across the EU state pensions are about 57 per cent of the average wage. In the UK the figure is just 19 per cent, yet the only offer from Labour is to try to restore the earnings link in 2012, but only if they can afford it...
What a strange sense of priorities our government has.
D S BOYES
Rodley Lane
BRAMLEY
The full article contains 200 words and appears in Morley Advertiser newspaper.
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Last Updated:
06 May 2008 10:27 AM
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Source:
Morley Advertiser
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Location:
Morley
