Once again the British public has been subjected to an outpouring of insensitive opinion spouted by a member of the Establishment. This time it is Lord Bichard who, to a Lords' committee, suggested that pensioners should be made to work, maybe in the community or voluntary work, or risk losing part of their pension. He does use the word 'encourage' in the context of his suggestion. However when the phrase 'or risk losing' follows in the same statement, there is an unsavoury feeling of ultimatum about it. Since his original statement he has pointed out that he did not make a formal proposal but merely 'floated an idea'. However he has not made any apology for the offensive nature of his 'floatation of an idea' which has, not surprisingly, angered not only pensioners but many working people across the UK. Also let us not forget that the Retirement Pension is an entitlement NOT a benefit.
Here are a few snippets :-
Retired people could be encouraged to do community work such as caring for the "very old" or face losing some of their pension, a peer has suggested.
"imaginative" ideas were needed to meet the cost of an ageing society."Are there ways in which we could use incentives to encourage older people, if not to be in full time work, to be making a contribution?," he asked the rest of the committee.
And although such a move might be controversial, it would stop older people being a "burden on the state".
I find the last phrase "burden on the state" particularly inflaming. Pensioners have contributed for years to earn their entitlement. Because of the ineptitude and greed of the Banks and Financial Institutions, coupled with the the politicians' self interest, thousands now have to work an extra year or more beyond normal retirement age. I personally have known too many people who have gone to war for this country, who have worked hard for many years, who died and never saw their pensions. Plus others who were too ill to draw more than one or two payments before they too died.
To put things in perspective and I give due respect to his professional talents, with also due regard to a large slice of obsequious behaviour necessary in such circles, Lord Bichard KCB rose from Local Government to become a high ranking civil servant. His positions include Permanent Secretary of the Department of Employment and Head of The Benefits Agency. He became a Knight of the Order of Bath in 1999 and in 2010 he was created Baron Bichard of Nailsworth in the House of Lords.....an unelected undemocratic institution as we all know. It could be said that he has been a burden on the state. He retired in 2001 at the age of 54 on a large state funded pension i.e. paid for by you and me, which I am assured is part of an unsustainable financial burden on the UK economy and National Debt.
In case no one has realised what the acronym 'wheots' means, it stands for:- We've had enough of this Shite ......and I find this particularly relevant to Lord Bichard's repulsive speech. He has had a very successful career at the behest of the taxpayer, but obviously does not possess the grace of a gentlemen to remember that the country's taxpayers are the ones who have paid his salary since he entered employment, and who are still paying his pension to the tune of £120.000 per annum !
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