Increase in State Retirement Age

Increase in State Retirement Age.

The state retirement age is to increase to 66 in 2016. This will be good news for many people who still feel very able to work past this age. However, for those over 50 years who still find huge age discrimination in the workplace, and find it almost impossible to secure work opportunities, there will be little joy here.

State Pension link restored

Good News in the Emergency Budget for those reliant on State Pension??

George Osborne announced at the recent emergency budget that State Pensions would be increased annually in line with average earnings or inflation, whichever is the greater. This means that State Pensions, once linked with average earnings before the Thatcher Government abolished that link, will once again start to accrue some real value.

UK General Election - third Leaders debate

UK General Election 2010 – third leaders debate

The third debate saw the leaders of all three parties coming out fighting. David Cameron, although still a lightweight in debate, held his own against Nick Clegg, but failed to stop Gordon’s questions on the Conservatives intention to cut Inheritance Tax for the very rich. Nick Clegg also tried to justify the Lib Dems intention to give an amnesty to all illegal immigrants in the UK if elected. Crazy, considering that those illegal immigrants have broken UK law. Nick Clegg probably got the idea from his wife, who I believe is Spanish. Spain gave all Illegal immigrants amnesty in 2009 and the level of unemployment in many areas has now reached 20 per cent.
Gordon Brown did a really good job on the economy and he seems very confident in his team’s ability to pull the UK out of recession and into growth. Unfortunately, the media seem determined to judge him on his looks and personality. I don’t want a film star as Prime minister, I want a Prime minister with a sharp intelligence and strong moral character, who believes in fairness and equality, and I think Gordon Brown can deliver that.

Volcanic Ash

Apparently, the volcanic ash that has rendered the European airline industry into near standstill, as well as, causing untold problems for travellers, has some anti ageing benefits for the skin.The ash when mixed with water forms a clay. The clay, which contains an extensive concentration of a number of minerals have been found to have a number of healthy benefits to the skin. According to some. it helps to lift and firm the skin, exfoliates and lifts dead skin cells and reduces the appearance of cellulite. And there I was worried in case it appeared in my swimming pool - bring it on.

UK General Election - 2nd Leaders Debate

UK General Election – 2nd Leaders Debate

The second Leaders debate has taken place, and what a difference a week makes. Nick Clegg the darling of the first debate according to some (certainly not me) showed himself this week to be a very shallow opponent, and rather ill-mannered, butting in at every opportunity. Both Nick Clegg and David Cameron came across as two rather spoil, over confident school boys - lacking in both experience and substance. Gordon Brown however, raised his game without using any of the PR techniques the other two use so deviously. Gordon Brown is the only one of the three that has both the experience and the intelligence, and proven commitment to public service, to take the UK through the worst economic situation since the 1930s.
Gordon Brown also promised to restore the link between Pensions and Earnings in 2012, which the Conservatives under Margaret Thatcher had previously removed.

UK General Election 2010 - The first debate

I watched the historical General Election debate by the three party leaders, Gordon Brown (Primeminister), David Cameron (Cons) and Nick Clegg (Lib Dems). After watching the American debates beween Barack Obama and watshisname, which were really stage managed, I was expecting the UK debate to be a little insipid. However, I was quite pleasently surprised. Gordon Brown - the bruiser that he is came across as a man of substance, well able to take on the other two slick pretty boys, both in debate and at the election box.I thought that Gordon Brown did really well.

General Election in the UK

At Last the General Election has started and already we have one prospective parliamentary candidate for the Labour Party namely Stuart Mc Lennan making hugely insulting ageist comments by referring to older people as “bloody coffin dodgers”. There is some justice in this world though because he has been sacked as Labour’s candidate