AS WE are all aware July 4 is very important in American eyes, however this year in the UK without a single item in the national press or any of the media, pensioners in this country decided to adopt this day as the day pensioners would declare their independence to the hierarchy.

They decided that we had been quiet long enough in respect of the demeaning means test imposed on anyone who finds that the state pension (still the lowest in Europe) is insufficient to meet their needs.

Pensioners Independence Day started with a mass rally of pensioners from all parts of the South East. This same group then walked to Parliament via Parliament Square to the swirl of bagpipes, where they met, with a number MPs, the president of the National Pensioners Convention, Jack Jones, recently retired from this post, and many more who would continue the fight both inside and out of Parliament for a decent deal for the British pensioner.

Speakers from the floor were unanimous in their condemnation of the shabby deal handed out to the senior citizens by this Government. Many expressed surprise that the link to earnings, cut so savagely by Maggie Thatcher, had never been restored by the Labour Government, which was loud in its condemnation when it was first brought in in 1980. Among the many slogans to be seen on the hand-held posters was one which is long overdue 'Equal Pensions for Women'.

It would be remiss of me to close without mentioning the good humoured tolerance of the police who shepherded us across the busy roads, regardless of a few impatient motorists. In closing I should like to mention that the day was the result of the five active pensioner organisations in London and the South East uniting to let the government know the strength of feeling there is on this subject.

L.PRINCE,

Secretary, Enfield Pensioners'

Action Group,

Albany Road, Enfield.

July 10, 2002 18:00