NO camp's Big Beast £118 Billion raid on pensions
Saturday, 26 April 2014
The SNP has today called out the No campaign on pensions scaremongering hypocrisy following a report revealing the extent of Gordon Brown’s pensions raid in his time as UK chancellor.
Today’s Daily Mail reports that Office of Budget Responsibility this week published figures showing that the No camp “big beast” ripped £118 billion from private pensions – meaning a loss for hundreds of thousands of retirees in Scotland
Scottish National Party Work and Pensions spokesperson Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP said:
“The former UK chancellor has been rolled out by the anti-independence campaign various times in an effort to frighten Scots - but this plan has now totally backfired.
“From now on nobody can trust a word Gordon Brown says on pensions.
“The fact is that is Gordon Brown has betrayed the trust some people had in when he demolished their pension savings.
“The reality is that pensions are more affordable in Scotland than in the rest of the UK, a view supported by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, who have also made clear that the demographic challenge is no more significant for Scotland than it is to the rest of the UK.
“We also know that insurance providers, including HSBC and the Department of Work and Pensions itself, are clear that pensions would be unaffected following a Yes vote.
“With independence we will be able to ensure a fair deal for pensioners, with a triple lock on the state pension to keep pace with the cost of living, a review of the pension age to ensure it is right for Scotland's pensioners and a fair approach to public sector pensions."
“From now on nobody can trust a word Gordon Brown says on pensions.
“The fact is that is Gordon Brown has betrayed the trust some people had in when he demolished their pension savings.
“The reality is that pensions are more affordable in Scotland than in the rest of the UK, a view supported by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, who have also made clear that the demographic challenge is no more significant for Scotland than it is to the rest of the UK.
“We also know that insurance providers, including HSBC and the Department of Work and Pensions itself, are clear that pensions would be unaffected following a Yes vote.
“With independence we will be able to ensure a fair deal for pensioners, with a triple lock on the state pension to keep pace with the cost of living, a review of the pension age to ensure it is right for Scotland's pensioners and a fair approach to public sector pensions."
