Dear Editor
Pensioners of today and tomorrow, be aware: the government is laying the ground for further attacks on pensions and pensioners benefits.
First, they have to divide opposition, for example by saying they wish to be fair by stopping the wealthy getting the winter heating allowance. It sounds fine, but does that mean the introduction of a means test for everyone to qualify? And who sets the level?
Other benefits, such as travel passes, television licence and free medicine prescriptions – things to help pensioners maintain some quality of life – are threatened: the government is looking to see if the nation can ‘afford’ them.
The campaign of setting one section of people against another is well-prepared, with millions of words and pictures; every person working or retired is the target. Just a few figures:
- 31% of the population are of retiring age; not all get a full pension as many qualifying conditions apply
- The government is raising the age of retirement for women from 60 to 65 by 2018 and for both men ad women to 66 by 2020, with increases to 67 and 68 later on
- The ‘full’ state pension is only approximately one sixth of the average age
- The amount paid out in pensions from the total wealth produced in one year is approximately 5%, yet the percentage of the population’s pensioners is 31% (and most have contributed to a pension scheme throughout their working lives).
Just two further points: today’s working population, who now produce all the nation’s wealth, were raised, loved and cared for by our pensioners. Today’s working population and pensioners combined have massive voting power: use it!
Tony Delahoy
Silverknowes Gardens
25
0
20
The cuts still to come are massive. Despite the cuts and ‘savings’ already implemented the UKs annual deficit has only been reduced from £200 billion to £180 billion and I see reports that it is on the rise again. One respected financial magazine is predicting a huge financial collapse ahead for the UK because of the level of debt. Scotland’s fixed budget is going to be reduced massively. Labour have said if they get back into power they will be ruthless with public spending. Alistair Darling has said if they had stayed in power they would have had to follow the same programme of cuts as the coalition.
If we vote No in next years referendum, as it stands at the moment, the only thing that is certain is that there will be lots of big budget reductions. I’ve already decided I’m going to vote Yes. I would have settled for fiscal autonomy or Devo Max. But that option is no longer available.
A bit of research throws up some interesting findings. Although GERs (Governmental Expenditure and Revenues Report Scotland) shows that Scotland has run a deficit this isn’t the whole story. There are multi, multi billions raised in Scotland but not in Scotlands name. And there are multi, multi billions spent in Scotlands name but not spent in Scotland.
Things like the huge underspend on defence, the fact that all tax and insurance on public sector wages goes back to Westminster even though the wages come out of the Scottish block grant in the first place. The Olympics, the underspend on the TV licence, landing fees, crown estates, stamp duty, paying for things that are deemed of ‘national’ importance like London Cross Rail and sewerage. Also in GERs a geographical share of oil is allocated to Scotland but not a share of the taxes on the North Sea service sector. That figure is just as much as the money made on production. Not allocated to Scotland. Both the Yes and No camps are really letting us down when it comes to telling us the truth about Scotlands finances. With independence (or fiscal autonomy) Scotland but we running a large surplus and would still be able to tailor spending to the needs of this country.
The No campaign have said by voting for independence we are abandoning our friends in the South. But Scotland doesn’t have enough political clout to have any influence to help promote change. Britain is the problem – the unrelenting corruption at Westminster, wars, nuclear weapons and the attempt to remain a big world player. We are maintaining these things at the expense of the well being of communities up and down the UK. 2014 is the only chance we are going to get in generations to vote for meaningful change.