Vince Cable Pensioners should go back to work

Doodledog I think it was this Parsons young man who described retired people as Lazy.
He who doesn't seem to have done a proper day's work in his life.

I think VC needs to define what he means by 'lazy'. It's such a judgemental word, and means different things to different people.

In any case, it's nothing to do with the government whether people are 'lazy' or not - their role is to manage the economy, keep law and order and defend the country if necessary. They are not there as our moral guardians.

He also needs to be clearer about why older people should go back to work. Is it to boost the economy or to save on pensions? Maybe if the economy needs everyone to work for X years, there should be some sort of incentive to ensure that they do, but he needs to spell out how that would be enforced, eg how would the government ensure that those who didn't work in their younger years should make up for it when older? It would be interesting to see how he could spin that to make it voter-friendly.

If he is saying that people should go back to work to save on pensions, he really needs to understand that in a democracy based on consensus, (which we in the UK were used to until recently), it is necessary to have trust between government and citizens. When they change the rules so that people are shafted when, after taking the government at their word and planning their lives accordingly, they find that they are changed, trust and respect are shattered. Asking someone who has worked for decades, paid taxes, juggled work and family, and all that goes with contributing to society to do it for even longer is unrealistic. Expecting them to vote for a party who would have them 'go back' into roles that are far less skilled than the ones they left is insulting, but that is what is likely to happen - how many employers will choose a retired applicant over a younger one with the same qualifications? I, for one, would have stayed in my full-time role if I'd known that leaving it would condemn me to having to take unskilled work on minimum wage. If we all did the same, the careers of young numpties like the Parsons chap would be blocked, and they would be the ones who ended up working in B&Q.

They both sound as though they need to have a think about the implications of this nonsense.

The 'lazy' comment was inexcusable, but as a general point Vince Cable's comment reflects the fact that retirement age is now way out of step with increases in life expectancy, hence some of the problems with pension funds.

And of course many older people didn't want to retire in the first place.

Blossoming

Vince Cable is a wibbling old fool, he will say anything to get noticed.

I tend to agree after noticing him passing comment on any subject under the sun recently.
He must need to top up his pension.

I hear/read a lot of negativity about Biden age, and Trump (who may or may not be making a come back) being too old.
It seems people like to find ways to complain about the retired population.
As SueDonim pointed out older people driving is a continued focus.

Isnt there enough division in society without stirring up more? Grrrr.

SueDonim

Given that some are of the opinion that older people should not still be driving, how are all these aged workers going to get to their jobs? In fact, given that there are plenty of older people doing driving jobs, how are they to do that work, if they shouldn’t be driving?

Very good point indeed.
I have retired twice since I was 60 I am now 71 even now I get requests every month from an Agency I was with offering part-time cover in Sales Offices for new builders all of witch involves travelling a good 25mls each way but there is no way I would consider driving that far now.

Ooops! Sorry! Didn't see your past tense.

I think the pension age is about right.

PS. You were probably able to retire earlier than those on the new state pension. The age at which the two systems pay the same total amount is, I believe, 82, so some people will win and some will lose. That doesn't take account of the lower National Insurance Rates, which older people paid.

growstuff

Calistemon The pension age is the same for men and women.

I ten to agree, Gagajo and think the pension age needed to be equalised for men and women, what that should be is a moot point.

I think that is clear (although it should be tend).

It needed to be equalised.
It has been.
The age is debatable- too old imo.

growstuff

Calistemon The pension age is the same for men and women.

I know that ?

It wasn't when I retired. I said it needed equalizing and it was - bt perhaps 65 for all.

What Mark Parsons is doing doesn't sound like work to me.
He should try being a nurse on a 12 hour shift or a teacher trying to impart knowledge into unwilling children, or anything useful.
He sounds like a waste of space.

Calistemon The pension age is the same for men and women.

Someone has tweeted to R-M Parsons:
Telling the elderly to get back to work, what exactly do you do sunshine?
Another has asked if he's the new Katie Hopkins

He's a bit famous for being a bit famous but not for doing any work.

You have to laugh. ???

Good point!!

Given that some are of the opinion that older people should not still be driving, how are all these aged workers going to get to their jobs? In fact, given that there are plenty of older people doing driving jobs, how are they to do that work, if they shouldn’t be driving?

Blossoming

Vince Cable is a wibbling old fool, he will say anything to get noticed.

But they still pay him to waffle.

Perhaps waffling might be a good profession, you could carry on until they wheel you out of the studio feet first.

Vince Cable is a wibbling old fool, he will say anything to get noticed.

Oh yes, firemen, paramedics- I could go on.

Calistemon

^Ryan-Mark Parsons is a British media personality, columnist and commentator.^

Not exactly onerous, is it!!

If he was a builder, plumber, doctor, nurse, teacher, police officer etc (ie something useful) would he still want to be working at 80?

Exactly! And I don't know about the rest of you but if I needed rescuing from a burning building I'd prefer someone very physically fit and under 70 to be doing it!

Ryan-Mark Parsons is a British media personality, columnist and commentator.

Not exactly onerous, is it!!

If he was a builder, plumber, doctor, nurse, teacher, police officer etc (ie something useful) would he still want to be working at 80?

Well, I couldn’t wait to finish work as my last job was in an old fashioned engineering company with bullying and male superiority rife. Junior staff were always blamed for anything that went wrong.

On finishing work I did a degree, supported my daughter with twins and post natal depression and went up and down to Bristol for further childcare duties. Of course the normal household tasks still needed doing which fell to me.

The childcare has decreased but DH is needing more support now so it’s never ending. Had my parents been alive, I would no doubt be doing that as well.

Lazy, I don’t think so. This sort of accusation makes me very cross.

Retired people do work - they look after elderly parents, spouses and GC. What a mess we would all be in if they did not!

There are unemployed young people - let them have the jobs, while we continue to prop society up with our valuable contributions.

I’ve got to pop out for a BP check and blood test in a few minutes, so haven’t time to read all the thread now, but will read it later. My own mother is paying over £1200 a week for her care. I’m fed up of people trying to pit the young against the old, and that is what this young person is trying to do. Who paid for his education and any medical needs he had as a child? It was the old people who were then working of course. He sounds like a nasty, entitled upstart. He should take a few lessons in mindfulness and empathy in my opinion.
Rant over, and to the GP’s I go.

I tend to think like LauraNorderr in that it would be taking a job from a young person/ school-leaver.
At the same time and turned 80, I could well do a secretarial job and as someone said, so long as it involves sitting.

Was it Lincs who'd said about all the lifting, always on your feet as a hospital worker ? I know all about this which is why in my latter years of employment I switched to working in the hospital offices and not the wards---since 1956, ouch !

Fortunately I still feel able to offer some experience in administration etc. appointments and clinic work. I probably would if the hospital wasn't ten miles away ! So maybe that fact alone told me enough was enough as I used to get the 7.30am bus every morning ! Took nearly an hour

Mark Ryan Parsons

Just looked him up - yes I remember him.
I'm surprised they gave him airtime

there is a labour shortage at the moment, especially in the care sector, so if it wasn't for all the voluntary care provided, those receiving it, they would get no care at all.