John Swinburne SSCUP Leader Newsnight Scotland Thursday 14th Jan. 2010
An excellent programme last night with Gordon Brewer conducting an enquiry into fuel poverty and winter heating allowances.I was very impressed by the lady from Consumer Focus Scotland, Trisha McAuley, who in a very forthright manner exposed the problems and barriers which pensioners are faced with during this extremely cold spell of weather.Basically she highlighted the fact that many pensioners are still being disconnected by their electricity suppliers despite the fact that safeguards have been put in place to ensure that this should never happen. However, she stated that the biggest problem was the fact that pensioners all too often tend to self-disconnect because they fear that they will be unable to pay their bills if they turn on their heating.She also stressed that these elderly people had worked all their lives and paid their taxes only to be let down by the system in their hour of need.
Trisha also spoke against the difficulty of applying for pension credits and said that the intrusive, complicated forms were a real turn off for many senior citizens. Over and above that she deplored the plight of the pensioners who are only marginally above the pension credit threshhold because they get no access to the £25 per week allowance which is paid to those on pension credits during sustained spells of freezing weather.
Ann Begg MP attempted (and failed) to put a brave face on this most regressive policy regarding heating for the elderly and the SNP were represented by John Mason MP who deplored the means-testing aspect of this problem even although Gordon Brewer pointed out to him that the SNP Government in Holyrood had just implemented a means-tested scheme to extend their central heating and insulation scheme for senior citizens.
It was good to see the problems getting a good airing and I phoned Daniel Maxwell and congratulated him on an excellent production and praised Trisha McAuley's performance. However, I also pointed out that the BBC had rather soft-peddled the situation and when consideration is taken of the fact that no fewer than 34,940 pensioners have died of winter related illnesses since New Labour came to power in 1997 then more emphasis could have been brought to bear on this problem.
Well done the BBC on this occasion.
An excellent programme last night with Gordon Brewer conducting an enquiry into fuel poverty and winter heating allowances.I was very impressed by the lady from Consumer Focus Scotland, Trisha McAuley, who in a very forthright manner exposed the problems and barriers which pensioners are faced with during this extremely cold spell of weather.Basically she highlighted the fact that many pensioners are still being disconnected by their electricity suppliers despite the fact that safeguards have been put in place to ensure that this should never happen. However, she stated that the biggest problem was the fact that pensioners all too often tend to self-disconnect because they fear that they will be unable to pay their bills if they turn on their heating.She also stressed that these elderly people had worked all their lives and paid their taxes only to be let down by the system in their hour of need.
Trisha also spoke against the difficulty of applying for pension credits and said that the intrusive, complicated forms were a real turn off for many senior citizens. Over and above that she deplored the plight of the pensioners who are only marginally above the pension credit threshhold because they get no access to the £25 per week allowance which is paid to those on pension credits during sustained spells of freezing weather.
Ann Begg MP attempted (and failed) to put a brave face on this most regressive policy regarding heating for the elderly and the SNP were represented by John Mason MP who deplored the means-testing aspect of this problem even although Gordon Brewer pointed out to him that the SNP Government in Holyrood had just implemented a means-tested scheme to extend their central heating and insulation scheme for senior citizens.
It was good to see the problems getting a good airing and I phoned Daniel Maxwell and congratulated him on an excellent production and praised Trisha McAuley's performance. However, I also pointed out that the BBC had rather soft-peddled the situation and when consideration is taken of the fact that no fewer than 34,940 pensioners have died of winter related illnesses since New Labour came to power in 1997 then more emphasis could have been brought to bear on this problem.
"Thanks very much John" said Daniel. "That is a rather bitter, sweet compliment on the programme but rest assured, this is not the end and we will be returning to this theme in the near future."
So there you are folks. There ARE people out there who realise that problems relating to the vulnerable in society do exist and they are determined to highlight these situations at every opportunity.Well done the BBC on this occasion.
My Last Word on 2009
Well that is another year gone and we can all look forward with high hopes to 2010.As a Motherwell supporter, I was delighted with the appointment of Craig Brown and Archie Knox as our new management team. The media have made great play over the fact that Craig is 69 and Archie is 62. Disparaging articles in which they are compared to Jack and Victor of 'Still Game' fame etc. have been the general theme. The fact that this pair are the last management team to successfully guide Scotland to the European and World Cup Finals seems to have escaped the attention of the ageist tabloid press.
In my opinion, retirement is a bit of a contentious myth. Many people, too many in fact, fail to reach retirement age. Others do and immediately grind to a complete halt with their feet up in front of the television and that all too often can prove fatal.
After I was elected to Holyrood in 2003, I received a most encouraging letter from the Rev. Canon McKay from Carnoustie. In it he congratulated me for taking on the duties of an MSP despite being well past retirement age. He pointed out that he was 81 years young and that as well as being a very full time minister he also played as much golf as possible among his many other varied pursuits.
He finished off his letter with the following little poem:-
Yes indeed that was well put by the Reverend Canon McKay and I hope that our new management team at Motherwell goes on to prove that their expertise in this field has not been dimmed by the years but rather they can now bring their influence to bear on my team and use the experience which only comes with time to the advantage of Motherwell F.C.
All the best and a happy and prosperous new year to everyone in 2010. John Swinburne
In my opinion, retirement is a bit of a contentious myth. Many people, too many in fact, fail to reach retirement age. Others do and immediately grind to a complete halt with their feet up in front of the television and that all too often can prove fatal.
After I was elected to Holyrood in 2003, I received a most encouraging letter from the Rev. Canon McKay from Carnoustie. In it he congratulated me for taking on the duties of an MSP despite being well past retirement age. He pointed out that he was 81 years young and that as well as being a very full time minister he also played as much golf as possible among his many other varied pursuits.
He finished off his letter with the following little poem:-
RETIREMENT
Was it for this we uttered prayers
To put on slippers and climb the stairs
And give up thoughts of really livin'
and go to bed at half past seven.
Retirement looms so give up trying
There is no quicker way of dying!!!
To put on slippers and climb the stairs
And give up thoughts of really livin'
and go to bed at half past seven.
Retirement looms so give up trying
There is no quicker way of dying!!!
Yes indeed that was well put by the Reverend Canon McKay and I hope that our new management team at Motherwell goes on to prove that their expertise in this field has not been dimmed by the years but rather they can now bring their influence to bear on my team and use the experience which only comes with time to the advantage of Motherwell F.C.
All the best and a happy and prosperous new year to everyone in 2010. John Swinburne
The Devolution Process - 10 years on !
During Scottish Questions yesterday in Westminster, Jim Murphy stated that he was going to announce a new deal for devolution and a new deal for the Scottish Parliament. He stated that we were moving devolution into a new generation and he called for an end to the culture of rancour and we should move onto one of responsibility.
His latest doctrine will incorporate some of the recommendations of the Calman Commission. ( Incidentally, when I applied for representation on the Calman Commission for Senior Citizens in Scotland I was informed that the existing political parties would cover the needs of Senior Citizens. - Aye right- probably in the same dilatory manner that they have for decades !)
The big breakthrough for devolution will be with Jim Murphy giving Holyrood the power to ban airguns (Something which MSPs have been demanding since 2005.) He will also give us the power to legislate on speed limits and also the limit for drinking and driving.There will also be some convoluted power to raise a proportion of taxation which will be so controversial that it is doubtful if it will ever be implemented in Scotland.
At the launch of the SSCUP on 4th February 2003 we outlined our core manifesto which was as simple as ABC.
A.-Abandon pensioner poverty
B.-Banish means testing
C.-Council Tax to be replaced by a fairer system of taxation which should take account of the ability to pay.
We were then asked if there were any other policies which we would introduce and I stated that full fiscal autonomy for Scotland would allow Holyrood to raise and spend its own taxation. A spin off from this would be the fact that this would reduce the work-load of Scottish MPs by 75% and therefore it would be logical to reduce the number of MPs being sent from Scotland to Westminster to a quarter of their existing numbers - around SIXTEEN.
The 16 MPs would not even require a separate election. We could simply add an extra two List MSPs to each of the eight regions . After the Scottish Elections, 16 MSPs would then be selected on a proportional basis from the total List MSPs elected and they would be sent to Westminster to represent Scotland. By the way this would automatically solve the vexed long running 'West Lothian Question' which has caused such problems since Tam Dayell first raised it in Westminster.
Without question we in Scotland are ridiculously over represented with MEPs -MPs -MSPs and Councillors and this would go a long way towards meeting David Cameron's demand for 50 fewer MPs in Westminster.
As I stated to the media at our launch in 2003, it would be great to see the scramble for safe English constituencies by the likes of Gordon Brown, Alasdair Darling, Frank Roy etc as they sought a way to continue with their political careers.All that was a mere expression of opinion six years ago but watch this space because it could come to pass in the not too distant future.Scotland would then have what I would call Federal Independence - just the same as the strongly independent States in the United States of America currently enjoy.
I think that even Alex Salmond would accept that at this moment in time.
Fiscal Autonomy for Scotland - BRING IT ON - Senior Citizens certainly couldn't be any worse off !
VINDICATION
His latest doctrine will incorporate some of the recommendations of the Calman Commission. ( Incidentally, when I applied for representation on the Calman Commission for Senior Citizens in Scotland I was informed that the existing political parties would cover the needs of Senior Citizens. - Aye right- probably in the same dilatory manner that they have for decades !)
The big breakthrough for devolution will be with Jim Murphy giving Holyrood the power to ban airguns (Something which MSPs have been demanding since 2005.) He will also give us the power to legislate on speed limits and also the limit for drinking and driving.There will also be some convoluted power to raise a proportion of taxation which will be so controversial that it is doubtful if it will ever be implemented in Scotland.
At the launch of the SSCUP on 4th February 2003 we outlined our core manifesto which was as simple as ABC.
A.-Abandon pensioner poverty
B.-Banish means testing
C.-Council Tax to be replaced by a fairer system of taxation which should take account of the ability to pay.
We were then asked if there were any other policies which we would introduce and I stated that full fiscal autonomy for Scotland would allow Holyrood to raise and spend its own taxation. A spin off from this would be the fact that this would reduce the work-load of Scottish MPs by 75% and therefore it would be logical to reduce the number of MPs being sent from Scotland to Westminster to a quarter of their existing numbers - around SIXTEEN.
The 16 MPs would not even require a separate election. We could simply add an extra two List MSPs to each of the eight regions . After the Scottish Elections, 16 MSPs would then be selected on a proportional basis from the total List MSPs elected and they would be sent to Westminster to represent Scotland. By the way this would automatically solve the vexed long running 'West Lothian Question' which has caused such problems since Tam Dayell first raised it in Westminster.
Without question we in Scotland are ridiculously over represented with MEPs -MPs -MSPs and Councillors and this would go a long way towards meeting David Cameron's demand for 50 fewer MPs in Westminster.
As I stated to the media at our launch in 2003, it would be great to see the scramble for safe English constituencies by the likes of Gordon Brown, Alasdair Darling, Frank Roy etc as they sought a way to continue with their political careers.All that was a mere expression of opinion six years ago but watch this space because it could come to pass in the not too distant future.Scotland would then have what I would call Federal Independence - just the same as the strongly independent States in the United States of America currently enjoy.
I think that even Alex Salmond would accept that at this moment in time.
Fiscal Autonomy for Scotland - BRING IT ON - Senior Citizens certainly couldn't be any worse off !
VINDICATION
After 7 long years during which time I took every opportunity to demand that the sale of homes to pay for residential care be ended
it was most uplifting today to see on national television that the Conservative Party have adopted this as one of their flagship policies!
The SSCUP had a Bill to do exactly that working its way through the Scottish Parliament and it had been out for consultation and the legal work had been carried out by the parliamentary Non Executive Bills Unit team. The financial cost of implementing this Bill in Scotland had been calculated by Prof. Arthur Midwinter at around £5.8Million. A mere drop in the proverbial bucket when you consider that this is only 75% of 'Fred the Shred's' Bonus for ruining the RBS (and that was only his final year's bonus).
I care not which political party takes up the cudgels on behalf of senior citizens regarding the theft of their homes and I praise the Tory Party for having listened. I sense that Annabel Goldie has been pushing this cause and if she has then I can only thank her for her efforts.
Yes indeed, I felt really vindicated when I saw this on TV today and eventually this case is so strong that in a fair society it just has to succeed. At least we have now taken a little step in the right direction.
GORDON BROWN
it was most uplifting today to see on national television that the Conservative Party have adopted this as one of their flagship policies!
The SSCUP had a Bill to do exactly that working its way through the Scottish Parliament and it had been out for consultation and the legal work had been carried out by the parliamentary Non Executive Bills Unit team. The financial cost of implementing this Bill in Scotland had been calculated by Prof. Arthur Midwinter at around £5.8Million. A mere drop in the proverbial bucket when you consider that this is only 75% of 'Fred the Shred's' Bonus for ruining the RBS (and that was only his final year's bonus).
I care not which political party takes up the cudgels on behalf of senior citizens regarding the theft of their homes and I praise the Tory Party for having listened. I sense that Annabel Goldie has been pushing this cause and if she has then I can only thank her for her efforts.
Yes indeed, I felt really vindicated when I saw this on TV today and eventually this case is so strong that in a fair society it just has to succeed. At least we have now taken a little step in the right direction.
GORDON BROWN
I listened intently to Gordon Brown's conference address and an excellent account of his achievements had been very well written for him and to be fair, he delivered it with great authority.
Yes indeed, New Labour have achieved a great deal in 12 years and Gordon boasted of the £400 winter fuel allowance for example but he never even mentioned the fact that in Scotland alone in excess of 25,000 pensioners have died of winter related illnesses on his watch in his time as Chancellor and Prime Minister.He boasted that in 2012 he would renew the link between pensions and earnings but why will this have taken 15 years since Labour came to power in 1997?
The banking crisis was also largely down to the fact that he was so blinded by the tax rolling in from the £Billions being created by the greedy bankers that he failed to implement basic controls and that source of earnings for his exchequer finally and inevitable imploded with the resultant unemployment and repossession of mortgage payers homes etc.We all know that the ineffectual Lord Adair Turner who 'sorted out' our pensions is now in charge of the Financial Services Authority and that he will in reality be unable to halt the obscene bonus culture which brought the once proud institutions such as the Royal Bank of Scotland and HBOS among many others to the brink of extinction.
The Labour Party Conference was just like all the others with American style projection of personalities and long compulsory standing ovations but with very little actual substance. Old Clement Attlee (who had a charisma by-pass) did 10 times more in 6 years than New Labour has achieved in 12. The NHS stands testament to that.Gordon deplored the expenses scandal which brought nothing but contempt upon politicians of all parties but yet again all this happened on his watch.Promises were made covering a wide range of topics but as usual, the senior citizens problems were largely glossed over.
Gordon stated that much had been done to stop the repossession of people's homes because they has struggled and worked hard to maintain their mortgage payments and deserved consideration. Gordon made NO MENTION of the fact that a single pensioner who needs residential care and who owns their own home will automatically have their home stolen from them by the State to pay for the cost of their residential care. Look again Gordon at this unacceptable situation which would only cost a mere £6 million in Scotland to end the heart-break caused for all too many sick and vulnerable senior citizens who find themselves caught up in similar circumstances.
Basically, Gordon Brown is a good man but he has failed to get his priorities in order. We should withdraw from the Afghanistan fiasco and bring out troops home, stop spending £Billions on Trident and divert these resources to something practical for the good of the Nation. Pay a decent pension to senior citizens instead of the obscene payout to failed Bankers and politicians.
Gordon - GET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER or pay the price at the next election.
Yes indeed, New Labour have achieved a great deal in 12 years and Gordon boasted of the £400 winter fuel allowance for example but he never even mentioned the fact that in Scotland alone in excess of 25,000 pensioners have died of winter related illnesses on his watch in his time as Chancellor and Prime Minister.He boasted that in 2012 he would renew the link between pensions and earnings but why will this have taken 15 years since Labour came to power in 1997?
The banking crisis was also largely down to the fact that he was so blinded by the tax rolling in from the £Billions being created by the greedy bankers that he failed to implement basic controls and that source of earnings for his exchequer finally and inevitable imploded with the resultant unemployment and repossession of mortgage payers homes etc.We all know that the ineffectual Lord Adair Turner who 'sorted out' our pensions is now in charge of the Financial Services Authority and that he will in reality be unable to halt the obscene bonus culture which brought the once proud institutions such as the Royal Bank of Scotland and HBOS among many others to the brink of extinction.
The Labour Party Conference was just like all the others with American style projection of personalities and long compulsory standing ovations but with very little actual substance. Old Clement Attlee (who had a charisma by-pass) did 10 times more in 6 years than New Labour has achieved in 12. The NHS stands testament to that.Gordon deplored the expenses scandal which brought nothing but contempt upon politicians of all parties but yet again all this happened on his watch.Promises were made covering a wide range of topics but as usual, the senior citizens problems were largely glossed over.
Gordon stated that much had been done to stop the repossession of people's homes because they has struggled and worked hard to maintain their mortgage payments and deserved consideration. Gordon made NO MENTION of the fact that a single pensioner who needs residential care and who owns their own home will automatically have their home stolen from them by the State to pay for the cost of their residential care. Look again Gordon at this unacceptable situation which would only cost a mere £6 million in Scotland to end the heart-break caused for all too many sick and vulnerable senior citizens who find themselves caught up in similar circumstances.
Basically, Gordon Brown is a good man but he has failed to get his priorities in order. We should withdraw from the Afghanistan fiasco and bring out troops home, stop spending £Billions on Trident and divert these resources to something practical for the good of the Nation. Pay a decent pension to senior citizens instead of the obscene payout to failed Bankers and politicians.
Gordon - GET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER or pay the price at the next election.
LATE PENSION PAYMENTS
Yet another excellent point raised this time by M.Carter relative to the late payment of pensions at bank holidays.One or two extra days without payments are neither here nor there for people such as MPs etc. who are very well off, but for a pensioner living on a hand to mouth miserable state pension, it can all too often mean the difference between a good square meal or another case of belt-tightening.
The Lib/Dems are now advocating a tax threshold of £10,000. That would be great if you are an earner but it does absolutely nothing for the pensioner on pension credits receiving £6,760 if they are single. A means-tested married couple receives £10,140 or £5,070 each per annum or £97.50 per week each. MPs automatically can claim up to £800 per month on their food alone on expenses!
It is high time that senior citizens wakened up to situations such as this and, by exercising their democratic right ,voted for their own party to look after their own interests!!!
The Lib/Dems are now advocating a tax threshold of £10,000. That would be great if you are an earner but it does absolutely nothing for the pensioner on pension credits receiving £6,760 if they are single. A means-tested married couple receives £10,140 or £5,070 each per annum or £97.50 per week each. MPs automatically can claim up to £800 per month on their food alone on expenses!
It is high time that senior citizens wakened up to situations such as this and, by exercising their democratic right ,voted for their own party to look after their own interests!!!
MORE ON PENSIONS
The United Kingdom is verging on bankruptcy and printing paper money as fast as Alastair Darling can manage. I understand that he is taking lessons from President Muggabe as the country reels drunkenly down this deflationary spiral which can only end in disaster.
Should the SSCUP adopt the following and include it in their next manifesto?
'MPs and MSPs should set an example, in an attempt to redeem themselves with the electorate, by abolishing their Parliamentary final salary lucrative pension scheme. This would have the effect of proving to the voters that they were more interested in the financial welfare of the country than simply getting their noses embedded as deeply as possible in the Parliamentary trough. They would then be forced to turn their attention to the Old Age Pension and with the realisation that that this would also be their ultimate 'reward' for a lifetime of service to their country, perhaps they would then seriously attempt to raise the O.A.Pension to a realistic level.'
Should the SSCUP adopt the following and include it in their next manifesto?
'MPs and MSPs should set an example, in an attempt to redeem themselves with the electorate, by abolishing their Parliamentary final salary lucrative pension scheme. This would have the effect of proving to the voters that they were more interested in the financial welfare of the country than simply getting their noses embedded as deeply as possible in the Parliamentary trough. They would then be forced to turn their attention to the Old Age Pension and with the realisation that that this would also be their ultimate 'reward' for a lifetime of service to their country, perhaps they would then seriously attempt to raise the O.A.Pension to a realistic level.'
PENSIONS
Yesterday morning on BBC Radio Scotland there was a programme hosted by Shereen Nanjiani which was about pensions.A lady from Wishaw had decided to check up on what pension she would receive on reaching the qualifying age and to her amazement she discovered that since she had been paying the 'small stamp' due to some mix up that she had qualified for a pension of 15 Pence per week. As you can imagine this caused numerous listeners to call in and highlight similar situations. One lady stated that her pension was a miserly 12 Pence per week and so great was the reaction to all this that BBC Television carried it on their news programme at 6-30 pm.
I was appalled away back in 2003 when I first learned about the lady (whom I called Mary because she did not want any publicity) who was receiving an old age pension of 9 Pence per week.This was the lady who couldn't go out to start work at 16 years of age because her mother had taken ill and Mary had to nurse her 24/7. Mary reached 40 before her mother passed away and she started looking for a suitable job but gave up in order to look after her father who had fallen ill and who also needed attention 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Mary nursed her Dad for 20 years until he died. By this time she was 60 and she applied for her pension but because she had no stamps on her card she did not qualify for a pension.
She explained that she had been a full time carer for 44 years . This would qualify you to have your card stamped as a full time carer she was told but that her card could not be stamped retrospectively. Next she was asked if she had any savings and she told them that her Dad had left her £25,000 in his will. Well now just come back and re-apply again when you are poor she was told. Meanwhile we will award you 9 Pence per week of a pension.
I retold this sad story during a debate on pensions in Holyrood and while the MSPs were horrified to hear it they did nothing to rectify this type of situation.
On another occasion at a hustings debate in Glasgow I retold this and John McFall MP who was on the platform was amazed to hear this and indeed he took some convincing that this was accurate. John McFall is now the Chair of the Westminster Treasury Committee so who knows - he may be able to raise this with the latest Minister for Pensions.
It is situations such as this which make me even more determined to continue our fight for a pension system which is fit for the 21st century. Perhaps if MPs' pension schemes were abolished and eventually THEY had to live on the State Pension then and only then would they try to improve the situation of our senior citizens.
Yesterday morning on BBC Radio Scotland there was a programme hosted by Shereen Nanjiani which was about pensions.A lady from Wishaw had decided to check up on what pension she would receive on reaching the qualifying age and to her amazement she discovered that since she had been paying the 'small stamp' due to some mix up that she had qualified for a pension of 15 Pence per week. As you can imagine this caused numerous listeners to call in and highlight similar situations. One lady stated that her pension was a miserly 12 Pence per week and so great was the reaction to all this that BBC Television carried it on their news programme at 6-30 pm.
I was appalled away back in 2003 when I first learned about the lady (whom I called Mary because she did not want any publicity) who was receiving an old age pension of 9 Pence per week.This was the lady who couldn't go out to start work at 16 years of age because her mother had taken ill and Mary had to nurse her 24/7. Mary reached 40 before her mother passed away and she started looking for a suitable job but gave up in order to look after her father who had fallen ill and who also needed attention 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Mary nursed her Dad for 20 years until he died. By this time she was 60 and she applied for her pension but because she had no stamps on her card she did not qualify for a pension.
She explained that she had been a full time carer for 44 years . This would qualify you to have your card stamped as a full time carer she was told but that her card could not be stamped retrospectively. Next she was asked if she had any savings and she told them that her Dad had left her £25,000 in his will. Well now just come back and re-apply again when you are poor she was told. Meanwhile we will award you 9 Pence per week of a pension.
I retold this sad story during a debate on pensions in Holyrood and while the MSPs were horrified to hear it they did nothing to rectify this type of situation.
On another occasion at a hustings debate in Glasgow I retold this and John McFall MP who was on the platform was amazed to hear this and indeed he took some convincing that this was accurate. John McFall is now the Chair of the Westminster Treasury Committee so who knows - he may be able to raise this with the latest Minister for Pensions.
It is situations such as this which make me even more determined to continue our fight for a pension system which is fit for the 21st century. Perhaps if MPs' pension schemes were abolished and eventually THEY had to live on the State Pension then and only then would they try to improve the situation of our senior citizens.