Brown calls for national debate on pensions
Gordon Brown has ruled out raising the state pension age until the government consults in a “national debate”.
Speaking in Scotland, the chancellor said the Labour government would listen to what people were saying “right across the country”.
“It is the Labour government that has made possible this huge review of pensions,” he told journalists.
“And it’s the Labour government that will then listen to what people are saying right across the country.”
On Sunday, work and pensions secretary, David Blunkett, hinted he was chewing over rising the state pension age to 67.
With an eye on the estimated £130 billion pensions “black hole”, Mr Blunkett, who has been in the US and Canada studying options for pensions and benefit reforms, said his preferred option was to see the retirement age raised from to 67.
The government is also considering whether to bring in some form of compulsory saving.
With the Adair Turner commission into pension reforms due to report back later in the autumn, Mr Blunkett anticipated much debate about raising the retirement age.
The chancellor is currently on the campaign trail for the Livingston by-election, which was caused by the death of Robin Cook.
