There was me, ready to watch Rachel Reeves’ Budget speech ‘live’, clinging on to the hope she might re-install the fuel payments to pensioners when I discovered a letter at my door.
Basically, it was saying there’s ‘nae chunce’ for winter payments; you’re oot scoot.
Then on she comes to the lectern, exactly like my al’ heid-mistress at the High School, Miss McNab. Strict, sensible. Cold. Surveying the assembled sitters. Too many teachers in those days to me: “MorEEn!” ( hate that pronunciation ) “You’re a distraction to the rest of the class.” And I was. So I sat up straight.
Of course, it’s brilliant having the first female Chancellor of the Exchequer. Fit’s taken so long? And she delivered well.
Excellent that she takes money from those who’ve too much and hopefully claws back from the richest. Superb that the minimum wage has been increased. We need these folks who are willing to work any hours.
However, maths is maths. That means the basic minimum wage is now something like £20,000, which is a lot better than it used to be. By comparison, the basic state pension is still only £13,000. How outrageous is that?
British pensioners are among the poorest in Europe.
I’ve retired friends in Norway getting £25,000 a year. So it looks as if our brave new government will do very little to help the ones who used to be the precious ‘working’ people full-time for our country.
Moreen Simpson is a former assistant editor of the Evening Express and The Press and Journal, and started her journalism career in 1970
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