tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377446.post7858226404587228771..comments2024-03-05T17:55:58.806+00:00Comments on Nanny Knows Best: Nanny's Pedestrian TaxKen Frosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13568488818950912374noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377446.post-50527908089528812092012-10-25T15:15:29.993+01:002012-10-25T15:15:29.993+01:00And it appears that his lordship is setting a perf...And it appears that his lordship is setting a perfect example, as he retired at 54 with a pension of £120,000 p.a!Lord of Atlantisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377446.post-40260388440603987582012-10-24T16:36:23.292+01:002012-10-24T16:36:23.292+01:00Can you imagine the outcry if it were suggested th...Can you imagine the outcry if it were suggested that asylum seekers were to be made to work for their benefits?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377446.post-56315487376244237122012-10-24T16:13:18.849+01:002012-10-24T16:13:18.849+01:00Good grief! Next they will be charging us for the...Good grief! Next they will be charging us for the air we breathe, or for the ''privilege'' of visiting council offices!<br /><br />Tonk: I agree with every word you say!<br />"Incidently, it has been reported on the state's broadcaster's red button service on the news page under politics that, Lord Bichard, who is a former benefits chief and sits on a committee looking at demographic changes and their inpact on public services, has said that retired people should do community work or face losing part of their pension so as not to be a burden on the state."<br /><br />Just like George Orwell's ''Animal Farm''! I wonder whether ''his lordship'' has to struggle to make ends meet, or choose whether to die of starvation or freeze to death, as many pensioners do? And may we assume he claims no expenses nor salary courtesy of muggins, i.e the taxpayer? This just sums up how out of touch politicians of all parties are with those of us living in the real world.<br />Lord of Atlantisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377446.post-74578812288731351342012-10-24T12:16:33.813+01:002012-10-24T12:16:33.813+01:00Since the rip off tax was frozen, local councils h...Since the rip off tax was frozen, local councils have looked for new ways to raise funds. Even Wokingham have done so: They want us to pay twice for something we already have paid for and are now charging for services that were already paid for through local rip off tax such as initial contact with planing officers.<br /><br />The people of this country need to remind the weasels in local and nation government, that they work for us, not the other way around. I hate local councils.<br /><br />Incidently, it has been reported on the state's broadcaster's red button service on the news page under politics that, Lord Bichard, who is a former benefits chief and sits on a committee looking at demographic changes and their inpact on public services, has said that retired people should do community work or face losing part of their pension so as not to be a burden on the state. This has made me very angry indeed.<br /><br />Firstly, we have paid in for our pensions in good faith, having been told that NI would give us a good pension and then being told that SERPS would give us a liveable pension level: we are now told that we need to have NEST too: If a private company kept moving the goal posts and riping people off in the same way different governments have, they would be before a judge.<br /><br />People have contributed for their pensions and it is their pension, not for the government to use as a carrot or a stick. During good times, the government should have built up a pension reserve so that state pensions were not a giant ponzi scheme.<br /><br />I would remind Lord Bichard that community service is a judicial sanction judges can give criminals: is therefore, being a pensioner going to be a criminal act in his brave new world?<br /><br />Suggesting that pensioners are a burden is a disgusting thing to say and plays into the politics of envy: we hear more and more about young people attacking the elderly in much the same way people attack overseas aid and benefit claimants.<br /><br />It seems to me to be another example of divide and rule: a divided population that is afraid is far easier to control than a united, confident population. Rant over.Tonk.noreply@blogger.com