Pensioners march on Westminster

Pensioners march on Westminster today to lobby MPs for better state pensions.

The National Pensioners Convention expects up to 1,200 people to take part in a mass lobby in London.

The NPC is calling for a rise in the basic state pension from £75 to £105.45 a week and an end to means testing.

The campaign group also wants the link between the state pension and average earnings to be restored, and with it, a fairer system of council tax.

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With 11 million pensioners in the country, the NPC will warn the Blair government it must take the “grey vote” seriously or face a strong reaction at the ballot box at the next general election.

The march begins at 11:30 BST. The NPC is hoping to lobby between 100 and 200 MPs.

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats yesterday outlined their new pensions policy, which echoes many of the NPC’s demands.

The Lib Dems said they would fund the £2.7 billion scheme by scrapping the Department for Trade and Industry and streamlining the civil service. They also promised to raise the state pension by £25 a week.

The march comes after the surprise resignation of Andrew Smith MP, the Work and Pensions Secretary, on Monday night.