Agenda 2019

  http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/04/29/ed-miliband-winter-fuel-benefits-pensioners_n_3177367.html?utm_hp_ref=uk Ed Miliband has suggested the Labour Party would consider withdrawing benefits such as the winter fuel allowance and free bus passes from wealthier pensioners. “Means testing is being used to divide and rule—to pit young people against pensioners. But the real divide isn’t between young and old, it’s between rich and poor.”   We have been here before. What is a "wealthy pensioner". How is "wealth" defined? Living in a large private house, but having only a state pension as income, can hardly be described as "wealthy". On the other hand, a couple living in private or social rented accommodation, both drawing state pensions and where perhaps one of the partners has income from an occupational pension plus a private pension, would have a far larger disposable income than many. Clearly there would have to be some means of comp...

  http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/04/28/iain-duncan-smith-tells-wealthy-pensioners-to-hand-back-their-bus-passes_n_3172615.html?1367135836&utm_hp_ref=uk Iain Duncan Smith Tells Wealthy Pensioners To Hand Back Their Bus Passes IDS urges wealthy pensioners to forego perks. Another outpouring of verbal diarrhea from the "scrounger" living rent free in a lodge on his father in law's estate, who enjoys a chauffeur driven limousine on his way to and from work (and no doubt return trips to other less well known locations) and who's grasp of reality is severely limited by his background, his class and his intellectual abilities. Instead of lecturing the rest of us about things (in all aspects of his position as Work and Pensions Secretary)  which he could never understand or imagine, he would be better employed instructing or requesting that the other 649 MP's give up their allowances for food every week, (because they can affor...