Defending legacy

CONCERNING the public sector walk-out over primarily pensions, we would all be wise to note that many of the trade unions/professional associations who took part have never been party to national industrial disputes in living memory.

Whilst the government has promoted the theme that public sector pensioners are better-off than the equivalent in the private sector, this comparison is rather selective.

Firstly, public sector workers pay significantly higher contributions on the whole than those in private schemes.

Secondly, the vast majority of public sector workers are paid at lower pay rates than those in the private sector historically and the higher pension rates have been seen as a modest compensation.

The greatest danger for the whole of the UK is that this government is seeking, for quite short-term considerations, to drive down public sector pensions. This will repeat the devastating attack on private pensions by Gordon Brown, which has led to more pensioners needing to claim state benefits and encouraged more employees to opt out of private pensions.

Britain needs instead a national dialogue and social contract, whereby we give greater support to both private and public sector pensions. We need a national investment plan and to ensure pensions contributions are not raided for short-term government whims.

We in the Liberal Party laid the foundations of national insurance and the national pensions scheme to challenge and tackle poverty levels for our older citizens. We need to go back to those founding principles.

The trade unions and professional associations are defending the legacy of our Liberal forefathers against those who have deserted socially progressive liberalism.

Bill Weights

Littlehampton Liberal Party

Howard Place

Littlehampton