Here is a good progressive idea "Retired should work for their pensions"

or share the profits fairer

 

the problem with the tories is that the industry that they destroyed,namely steel and coal was set upon because of the trade unions and the percieved power they had,they never forgive the miners because of the 72 and 74 strikes,which were carried out for better pay and working conditions.Miners for decades had been treated like peasants and they had had enough of it.
I'm still convinced that had the tories worked with the unions and set out a plan we'd still have an industry.
For those of you who are unaware,the entire industry was restructured in the mid 70's in the form of the plan for coal.The key areas that benefitted from this was the south yorkshire and barnsley coalfields,huge investment was granted,and it was this investment that the tories saddled individual pits with to make them appear to be under-performers and loss making.The entire run down of the industry was rigged and we have been left picking up the pieces ever since.

The mineworkers pension,unlike most other pension funds is worth billions and the unions negotiated with the government that the pensions payout would be safe.This was in exchange for the government being able to cream the surpluss off and use it for helping the public coffers out.
So to pick up on an earlier comment the workers of this era didnt saddle the country with the pensions mess that there is now.

 

another point that needs making is that the plan for coal was brought in because of the middle east oil crisis where the oil trebled in cost.The government said we would never be held to ransom by foreign counties again for our fuel.lWhich is exactly whats happening now and is the main reason we are all being fleeced by the gas and electric companies.