Someone in politics who understands pensions – that’ll never work!!

So Robin Ellison has launched the U Party  with the objective of getting pension provision back up the political agenda. Given that he’s running a totally virtual election campaign the policy of decriminalising drugs will get the website hit level up and I can only hope that having arrived on the site the happy googlers take the time to look at some of the common sense proposals on pensions Robin is advocating. It’s hard to disagree with his statement that “we have a dysfunctional state pension system, a dysfunctional private pension system and a dysfunctional tax system.” We have more complexity in our system than anyone could manage and decisions taken “on the hoof” for short term populist objectives without thinking through the medium to long term implications – the main reason we’re already leaving our children and grandchildren a legacy of quite mind-boggling debt. I’m all in favour of anything that can promote a rational debate on the future of pensions and the wider social implications and can only wish this venture well. I could almost be persuaded to provide more direct support but I think Robins chances in Hampstead are slightly higher than mine might be in Lanarkshire!!