UK pensions

[nong38]

1 minute ago, rockingrobin said:

With a GE almost a certainty for 8th June , does anybody know when parliament will be dissolved , will it be before or after this debate

There is a timetable in the Daily Mail today.

[evadgib]

I'm looking forward to PMQs and QT (Dimbleby) this week! 

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

Labour Policy pledges:

 

        * Triple-lock guarantee on pensions will remain until at least 2025

        * Pensioners will keep benefits including free TV licences, bus passes and winter fuel allowance.

 

The period up to the general election will present an excellent opportunity to get politicians to include the removal of frozen pensions in their manifesto commitments.

[Phuket Man]

I was reading The Mail online yesterday.

It said that stopping frozen pensions would probably be in the Labour manifesto which might force the Tories to follow suit. 

 

Not holding my breath though.

 

Quote

 

Corbyn has thrown his weight behind moves to overturn longstanding regulations preserving the status quo, which are effectively rubberstamped each year without formal debate by MPs. And Labour's pensioner pledge card includes the promise: 'Protect the pensions of UK citizens living overseas.'

The Government has so far not budged on the issue, but with Corbyn likely to include it in Labour's manifesto, May could be forced to respond.

 

 

Edited April 20, 2017 by Phuket Man

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

10:30 am, today

House of Commons

Main Chamber

Backbench Business Debate on a Motion relating to State Pensions payable to recipients outside of the UK

.

[evadgib]

The debate concluded @2050hrs, having started @1908hrs by my clock. I was pleased at how much detail was covered , particularly by Sir Roger Gale.

 

Hats off too to the SNP ?

[nong38]

8 minutes ago, evadgib said:

The debate concluded @2050hrs, having started @1908hrs by my clock. I was pleased at how much detail was covered , particularly by Sir Roger Gale.

 

Hats off too to the SNP ?

Whilst all the player made excellent points the Pensions Minister, who seemed to a rather nice chap but somewhat wet behind the ears, did not seem to be either in the position to do do or say anything or feel any sympathy for overseas pensioners affected and that was obvious as soon as he got up and tried to put words together.

This was at best a good advert for the situation and the miniscule cost to put it right.

[NoshowJones]

On 4/19/2017 at 4:04 PM, Rajab Al Zarahni said:

Labour Policy pledges:

 

        * Triple-lock guarantee on pensions will remain until at least 2025

        * Pensioners will keep benefits including free TV licences, bus passes and winter fuel allowance.

 

The period up to the general election will present an excellent opportunity to get politicians to include the removal of frozen pensions in their manifesto commitments.

If any party comes out and says,  "vote for us and we will unfreeze the state pension". Would you believe them? Particularly Labour, as they are bigger liars and hypocrites than all the parties put together.

[NoshowJones]

14 hours ago, Phuket Man said:

I was reading The Mail online yesterday.

It said that stopping frozen pensions would probably be in the Labour manifesto which might force the Tories to follow suit. 

 

Not holding my breath though.

 

 

They are all liars, and Labour are the worst, think Blair, Brown.

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

The parliamentary debate lasted about an hour and 40 minutes.

Roger Gale opened the debate and was followed by speakers from the Labour party, the SNP the Lib Dems and Conservatives.

Everyone spoke in favor of ending the freezing of overseas pensions.

I thought the speeches by Margaret Ferrer of the SNP and Peter Bottomley of the Conservatives were particularly good.

Alex Cunningham, the Shadow Work and Pensions Minister, when speaking of manifesto committments stated:

"Partial upgrading will certainly be in ours" and Greg Mulholland of the Liberal Democrats confirmed his intention to press for its inclusion in the Lib Dems manifesto.

The Works and Pensions Minister, Richard Harrington sat squirming in his seat as he listened to the debate and was handed a brief during the debate, probably summarizing the governments position. He responded by making a number of marginal and pitifully irrelevant points and was interrupted by Peter Bottomley who stated that the governments policy was unfair, unjust and morally wrong.

The minister advised that the government would not change its position but I was left with the feeling that he thoroughly understood the nature of the injustice and would be quietly trying to talk his cabinet colleagues round, behind closed doors.

 

[Flustered]

Doesn't matter how much you wish for an increase in the pension rate or how much you admire certain MPs speeches and stance on the matter, it won't happen.

 

The most important item for any MP is a vote and there are no votes in this for them so they will spout out how much they think it should happen but have no intention of doing anything about it. The debate was a waste of time.

 

MPs have no interest in any person who has retired overseas and is no linger on the electoral roll.

 

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

57 minutes ago, Flustered said:

Doesn't matter how much you wish for an increase in the pension rate or how much you admire certain MPs speeches and stance on the matter, it won't happen.

 

The most important item for any MP is a vote and there are no votes in this for them so they will spout out how much they think it should happen but have no intention of doing anything about it. The debate was a waste of time.

 

MPs have no interest in any person who has retired overseas and is no linger on the electoral roll.

 

If that is what you believe then what is the point of reading or contributing to this topic. A campaign can never be won by those who believe they can't win.

[meatboy]

9 hours ago, possum1931 said:

They are all liars, and Labour are the worst, think Blair, Brown.

i have one to add to the above,labour mp. PAUL FLYN.

[NoshowJones]

3 hours ago, meatboy said:

i have one to add to the above,labour mp. PAUL FLYN.

Does not surprise me at all, everytime they're lips move they lie, and when they don't, they are thinking what lie to tell next.

[evadgib]

12 hours ago, Rajab Al Zarahni said:

The minister advised that the government would not change its position but I was left with the feeling that he thoroughly understood the nature of the injustice and would be quietly trying to talk his cabinet colleagues round, behind closed doors.

I too came away with the impression that everyone agreed that enough was enough and that they hoped to address it regardless of any distraction like an election.

[Flustered]

10 hours ago, Rajab Al Zarahni said:

If that is what you believe then what is the point of reading or contributing to this topic. A campaign can never be won by those who believe they can't win.

 

How can you win a campaign when the people (MPs) you have to lobby are not affected by or remotely interested in the issue. There are no votes in this for them. All they do is pay lip service and try to look like saints.

 

My point has always been that as this is a lost cause, it is better to spend time budgeting for a no increase rather than raising hopes form those who do not realise that 99% of MPs are free loading, snout in the trough pigs with no interests outside of their own gold plated pensions.

 

Always work on the worst case scenario rather than pie in the sky and life will not disappoint you. Tilting at windmills never works.

Edited April 21, 2017 by Flustered

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

32 minutes ago, Flustered said:

 

How can you win a campaign when the people (MPs) you have to lobby are not affected by or remotely interested in the issue. There are no votes in this for them. All they do is pay lip service and try to look like saints.

 

My point has always been that as this is a lost cause, it is better to spend time budgeting for a no increase rather than raising hopes form those who do not realise that 99% of MPs are free loading, snout in the trough pigs with no interests outside of their own gold plated pensions.

 

Always work on the worst case scenario rather than pie in the sky and life will not disappoint you. Tilting at windmills never works.

Consistent with your philosophy of life then why vote, why bother to buy a lottery ticket because you certainly won't win ?

Why leave the house when the sun is shining because the likelihood is that the weather man was lying and it will probably rain anyway ?

Why even bother to keep taking the anti depressants ?

I invite you to agree that if everyone adopted this philosophy then we would have no comments, no topic thread and no campaign groups. 

Please enlighten me as to what merit there can be in seeking to discourage and demoralise those whom you agree are the subject of an injustice, and who are supporting each other with information and encouragement.

If you really believe that we should concentrate "on budgeting for a no increase" then why not contribute some of your wisdom here ?

 

Edited April 21, 2017 by Rajab Al Zarahni

[evadgib]

12 hours ago, Flustered said:

MPs have no interest in any person who has retired overseas and is no linger on the electoral roll.

The 15 year rule and overseas representation were included in the debate if you'd bothered to sit through it & Messrs Bottomly, Gale and others inc Baroness Benjamin stated they are in it for the duration.

Edited April 21, 2017 by evadgib

[Eff1n2ret]

Hear all about it:-

 

http://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/e3896dd5-cd04-42ad-a097-ae18df5e415e?in=13:09:26

 

[nong38]

Keep chipping away and wear them down. Its only 30m quid, they have spent on bombs to drop in Syria and thats a lost cause.

[Flustered]

2 hours ago, Rajab Al Zarahni said:

Consistent with your philosophy of life then why vote, why bother to buy a lottery ticket because you certainly won't win ?

Why leave the house when the sun is shining because the likelihood is that the weather man was lying and it will probably rain anyway ?

Why even bother to keep taking the anti depressants ?

I invite you to agree that if everyone adopted this philosophy then we would have no comments, no topic thread and no campaign groups. 

Please enlighten me as to what merit there can be in seeking to discourage and demoralise those whom you agree are the subject of an injustice, and who are supporting each other with information and encouragement.

If you really believe that we should concentrate "on budgeting for a no increase" then why not contribute some of your wisdom here ?

 

Voting in a general election is not comparable to asking MPs to stump up money for non electoral roll people. Re the lottery, someone has to win whereas asking for money for a pension is again not comparable.

 

I am a pragmatist in life and do not expect anyone to help me or look after me. When someone takes the massive step of becoming non resident in their home country I would have expected them to research the matter in great depth including pensions and budgets  Relying on MPs who have no loyalty to you is asking for the earth to revolve clockwise.

 

I have often commented re pensions, budgets and the way of life in Thailand but do not expect you to agree with me.

 

If you only want people who agree with your point of view to post, then start the thread by saying so. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I have not berated you for stating yours, just pointed out some facts as I see them.

 

Sorry if it offends you, I was simply offering a counter point.

[Flustered]

1 hour ago, evadgib said:

The 15 year rule and overseas representation were included in the debate if you'd bothered to sit through it & Messrs Bottomly, Gale and others inc Baroness Benjamin stated they are in it for the duration.

Again, I doubt many will agree with me, but if you make the decision to be a non resident UK, you should lose the vote as well.

 

Just my opinion so as not to upset some people.

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

1 minute ago, Flustered said:

Voting in a general election is not comparable to asking MPs to stump up money for non electoral roll people. Re the lottery, someone has to win whereas asking for money for a pension is again not comparable.

 

I am a pragmatist in life and do not expect anyone to help me or look after me. When someone takes the massive step of becoming non resident in their home country I would have expected them to research the matter in great depth including pensions and budgets  Relying on MPs who have no loyalty to you is asking for the earth to revolve clockwise.

 

I have often commented re pensions, budgets and the way of life in Thailand but do not expect you to agree with me.

 

If you only want people who agree with your point of view to post, then start the thread by saying so. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I have not berated you for stating yours, just pointed out some facts as I see them.

 

Sorry if it offends you, I was simply offering a counter point.

I'm not offended and recognize that you are entitled to your point of view. As much as you are entitled to your own distinctive views and your right to express them, that does not mean that your views should not be challenged by those who disagree with you. The airing of opinion is the prime purpose of the thread.

[evadgib]

16 minutes ago, Flustered said:

Again, I doubt many will agree with me, but if you make the decision to be a non resident UK, you should lose the vote as well.

 

Just my opinion so as not to upset some people.

When do we stop being Brits?

 

Why should a group of otherwise eligible past-or-present taxpayers that would fill 80 average Parliamentary constituencies not have the same rights as Joe Public in the British Isles or (for now) the EU?

 

Edited April 21, 2017 by evadgib

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

14 minutes ago, Flustered said:

Again, I doubt many will agree with me, but if you make the decision to be a non resident UK, you should lose the vote as well.

 

Just my opinion so as not to upset some people.

Your view does not offend me but I do not agree with it.

[nong38]

There are people on this thread who think that trying to get our annual increases re-instated is a very long shot and it is but we should not keep pressing for it to happen. Shane Warne that Australian cricketer was once once asked what he would wish to have as his epitaph and after a moment he said................."never, ever, give up."

Now we all know its not going to be easy to change the governments mind but we must keep trying, its part of the British way, for me anyway, now lets suppose that eventually the Government of the day does change its position, what would all of you folks who dont want to keep pushing for the change, will you reject the annual increases and say you dont want them or will you gladly accept them like the ones who fight for the change? In short let someone else fight your corner.

Edited April 21, 2017 by nong38
spelling!

[sinbin]

2 hours ago, evadgib said:

When do we stop being Brits?

According to the government 186 days after you exit the UK. So why do they keep re-issuing my UK passport?  Somewhat confusing.

 

Who really gives a toot that increases in ones pension stops having become an expat? 2% annual average increase, less tax. for about another 10-15 years, if you're lucky, is  not worth fighting over. Enjoy your retirement.

Edited April 21, 2017 by sinbin

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

1 hour ago, nong38 said:

There are people on this thread who think that trying to get our annual increases re-instated is a very long shot and it is but we should not keep pressing for it to happen. Shane Warne that Australian cricketer was once once asked what he would wish to have as his epitaph and after a moment he said................."never, ever, give up."

Now we all know its not going to be easy to change the governments mind but we must keep trying, its part of the British way, for me anyway, now lets suppose that eventually the Government of the day does change its position, what would all of you folks who dont want to keep pushing for the change, will you reject the annual increases and say you dont want them or will you gladly accept them like the ones who fight for the change? In short let someone else fight your corner.

Fortune favors the brave. 

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

Never trust a man who reports for duty without having had a shave.

 

https://www.ftadviser.com/state-pension/2017/04/21/harrington-dismisses-calls-to-unfreeze-expat-pension-payments/

[billd766]

5 hours ago, Flustered said:

Again, I doubt many will agree with me, but if you make the decision to be a non resident UK, you should lose the vote as well.

 

Just my opinion so as not to upset some people.

 

I will be quite happy to lose my vote as long as the government will be happy not to take income from me.