Pensioners protest in 2005. Photograph: Martin Argles
Dear Gordon Brown,
Just a quick note to say thank you for the fabulous Christmas present you have provided to the 140,000 people who lost their pensions when their companies went bust and their pension schemes collapsed.
It will make a huge difference to the thousands of people who can now retire straight away because they are already 60 or over, take a lump sum of cash on retirement and feel confident their widows will get a decent pension and that their pensions will now keep up with inflation.
As you have frequently pointed out, these people have, in theory, had access to income from the Financial Assistance Scheme before - although the vast majority couldn't actually get any money out of it, either because they didn't qualify or because they weren't old enough. And even when they could, it didn't pay a very generous amount.
It's particularly good, given you were always pointing out that you had to balance the needs of the 140,000 workers with your 'fiduciary duty' to all taxpayers, that you managed to find the money after all. And how surprising that the vast majority of it was tucked away in those defunct company pension schemes all along - so you hardly need to find any extra money at all. Amazing.
So it took you five years to find, and some of those 140,000 have had to work on long past their expected retirement dates or lived in hardship in the meantime - some have even died - but I'm sure no one would have expected you to be any quicker in sorting this mess out. Even though Ann Abraham did suggest something similar in March 2006.
I'm sure you would have reached this conclusion without the constant pressure applied by that pesky Ros Altman and the Pensions Action Group. All that talking to the press, holding all-night vigils outside Downing Street and stripping off and prancing around on Brighton beach they did must have been quite distracting for you. At least you won't have to put up with any more of that!
So I'd just like to say thanks again. And if other people would like to join me, they can do so below.
Happy Christmas and a prosperous new year,
Jill
