I was one of the participants in the Mr Blunkettt’s much talked about Pensions Debate which took place in Bristol last month. There were 40 of us selected from the Citizen’s Panel and other prominent lobbyists from Bristol. The debate was not properly conducted as we were forced to take part in a discussion which was guided by the adjudicators who were present. For example; we were given 4 options to debate on, in 20 minutes, how to devise a way of tackling the problem of pensions in 15 years time. The options given to us were:
1) Future pensioners would be poorer than today, when their income is compared to the income of those in work
2) Taxes and/or NI contributions would have to rise to provide money to the pensioners.
3) Average retirement age would have to rise.
4) People would have to pay more into a pension or other long term savings for retirement.
And we had to give 20 points in all to any or all of those options. Yes we did under pressure and I did not like the option 1 and gave it a 0.. What about other options EG. Cut the defence budget? Or cut the MP's salaries ha ha…. never I say? Well there are lots of others which we were not allowed to debate on.
I was very thrilled when I was asked to come to this debate thinking at last the government is trying to involve us in their bid to govern this country. Well I and few others left the building thinking that this is a controlled debate to get us all talking and agreeing with what the ministers want to do in the first place. I hope I will not live that long as to get a pension or I win the lottery and bugger the pension.
I am a selfish person.
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