'Labour is still letting down our pensioners'

1.11.03pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 26th Sep 2008

Sarah Carr spoke to the Lib Dem Conference and called for a 'Citizens' Pension' to end pensioner poverty

In a speech to the Liberal Democrat annual party conference in Bournemouth this week (14th September), Sarah Carr, the Liberal Democrat hopeful to succeed Paul Keetch as Member of Parliament for Hereford and South Herefordshire, made clear her commitment to campaign for a fairer pension system providing security and dignity in retirement for every citizen.

The first state pension was introduced by the Liberal government of 1908. In recent years the pensions system has become overly complex and difficult to understand with the mass means testing of pensioners.

Speaking on the main stage to a packed auditorium on the centenary of the basic state pension, Sarah said,

"It is outrageous that over 2 million pensioners live in poverty in the UK today. After years of working and caring, being active in local communities, helping other people, 2 out of 3 of pensioners are then forced to claim benefits to make ends meet. Successive Labour and Conservative governments have demonstrated a complete lack of respect for retired people who have worked hard all their lives and have often put their lives on the line for our freedoms. After years of work, pensioners, our parents, grandparents, must not be forced to go cap in hand for benefits to survive."

Sarah spoke at length of the unfairness of the current pension system which penalises women and carers who have take time out of paid work to care for family members or raise children. Sarah spoke of the constant worry that many elderly people have of whether they have enough money to get by. Sarah continued,

"When in government, it was the Conservatives who broke the link between earnings and pensions. The Liberal Democrats would immediately reintroduce the link between the Basic State Pension and earnings reversing this damaging regressive step by the Conservative party."

Sarah also called for the introduction of a 'Citizens Pension' for all retired people. Sarah said,

"It's time to introduce a Citizens Pension that enables older people to live, rather than just survive and it's time to end discrimination against so many women and carers who have spent a lifetime contributing to our society working as unpaid carers and raising children."