Gordon Glories In Shameful State Pensions - Oakeshott

6.20.38pm GMT Tue 18th Nov 2003

The Chancellor of the Exchequer proudly announced at today's CBI Conference that his "touch decisions made on pensions" mean his Pre-Budget Report will limit state pension spending to 5 percent of GDP in Britain, one third of its future level in France and Germany.

Lord Matthew Oakeshott, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesman in the Lords, said: "Britain's state pension is the worst in Western Europe - no wonder it costs less than in countries like France and Germany who play fair by their pensioners. And pensions can only get worse under Labour, with pensioners rising from 18% to 24% of our population by 2051 without any increase in pensions' projected share of GDP."

"Gordon Brown has a one-word message for pensions struggling to pay their council tax or to claim their complicated new pension credit - TOUGH! He must stop glorying in meanness and means tests for pensioners."

ENDS

Notes - In his speech to the CBI today Gordon Brown said:

"...in the Pre-Budget Report we will publish our plans showing that after tough decisions made on pensions - state pension spending will rise to 15 per cent of GDP in Germany and France but remain at 5 per cent in Britain - our fiscal position is sustainable over not just a year or two but over the next decades."