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Brussels, Monday, 20th April 2005
Labour Pensions Policy in a Third
Term
A very stimulating paper. I believe that one of the
greatest advances we could make in pension provision is to make the
system simpler and easier to understand - for pensioners. What is
wrong with means testing? As a tax payer I want to know that the
money I pay into the system is being paid to those who need it.
Raising the state retirement pension (SRP) for all includes the
well-off too. The great strides Labour has made in respect of
Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) and Pension Credit (PC) should be the
way forward. Yes - increase the SRP by an annual rate - linked to
avg earnings maybe. But also put the emphasis on the people who
really need the money (our money) to raise their standard of living.
Simplification - everyone gets a basic pension,
topped up by PC or MIG - reduce or remove the number of exclusions
such as savings, and compulsory second pensions starting at a
reasonable earnings level. The problem with second pensions is that
any top-up by MIG is reduced for those with another income stream
and thus a dis-incentive to saving. This has to be addressed.
There are many (young) people that resent paying for
a pension today but are the first to complain when they reach
pension age and find themselves in reduced circumstance. Education,
education, education is also needed. Unfortunately there will aways
be those who pay little or nothing into a scheme and expect the most
out of it. Its a tough world!
Dick Smith, LI Belgium
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April 2005
Inheritance Tax
(to see Home Page
Article)
I agree totally with Steve Van Riel's item on
inheritance tax. It bugs me that people who bought houses for a few
pounds forty years ago have seen them rise in value today - often
worth half a million or more. Many of those people now want to give
it to their children to avoid inheritance tax - and then expect the
state (you and me) to provide for them in their waning years. I used
to live in SE England where this was an extremely common sentiment.
In Europe it is natural that people sell their assets gained in
early life to help pay for a comfortable life in their later years.
I believe that inheritance tax is one of those
media-derived issue that few voters actually really care about -
just like "What Camilla will be called on Charles' succession" or
even the Iraq War.
Dick Smith, LI Belgium
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March 2005
Letter from Hugh Waldock, LI Germany
UK Government - Promote
International Understanding
A way to destroy the media
myth of sponging asylum seekers.
I just think that the government should be doing
more to promote international understanding amongst normal people.
As an Expat myself I have worked in German classes with
immigrants from all over the world and I know first hand
that what the media say about immigrants sponging money from the
state simply is not true. They are some of the most positive
and hard working people I have ever met despite their
unfortunate situation at home and often here. If people had a better
knowledge of the sorts of problems expats have they would have much
more sympathy for people such as asylum seekers and enjoy
their membership of the EU and use their considerable power as
European citizens more productively. This of course starts with the
attitude towards opportunities and international understanding which
they receive as children. If more children were sent away for a year
to Europe, they could learn languages and sympathy for other
cultures. I feel that English people simply don`t move around
enough, we are still locked in the Thatcherite view of being
proud of ourselves, rather than enjoying being part of a European
Community, I think this is why we have such a bad reputation with
people in the European Union. That and Iraq which is actually
our fault.
I would enjoy some feedback on this subject if you have time.
Hugh Waldock
Wuppertal
Germany
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1st May 2004
European Labour policy
----- Original Message -----
From: Paul Harrington
To: Jeremy Millard, LICC Secretary
Sent: Saturday, May 01, 2004 1:37 PM
Subject: European Labour policy
Dear Jeremy,
I'm an LI member living in Strasbourg.
The decision of our Prime Minister to announce a change of policy on a referendum over the proposed Euro Constitution
has caused me to write this E-mail.
It obviously caused some consternation here in France and I understand in other countries, as no one was consulted
and previously the French have given the Germans an assurance that they would ratify in the same way. You may know
the German constitution forbids referenda after its use by the Nazis. Here in Strasbourg Tony's announcement was
front page on the local paper (DNA). So the impact is strong on the continent as well as at home. This is also
reflected in Tony's article in 'Le Monde' on 29/4/2004 and President Chirac's press conference yesterday and the
French Foreign
Minister's remarks this morning.
The decision having been made I feel it important that those of us who live and work on the continent have an input
at home, through the party and perhaps in campaigning terms, and also to present to our sister parties a pro-european
face.
I was wondering whether you could identify all the members in the 15 plus the 10 new coutries, hopefully by E-mail,
which could be consulted on their attitudes to the European project and come to a consensus, perhaps at this year's
conference, on a pro-europe message to complement the various organisations that will coalesce around the 'Yes'
campaign in Britain.
This would, obviously, complement the PM's own position and provide a tool to use against the tories and euro-sceptics
in our own party. Timing and use of any Euro based members could complement existing structures and be used as
Democrats abroad and Republicans abroad are used by the Americans, at present very active in the run-up to the
American elections.
I float this idea with you and would be willing to spend some time compiling a survey and compiling the results
for the LICC and the membership as a whole.
Please lt me know what you think and keep up the good work.
Best wishes
Paul Harrington
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Monday, October 18, 2004
Letter from Dick Smith, LI Belgium
LI Canvassing for Labour
Hi Folks,
Perhaps its time to start thinking how we in LI might add our
four-penny-worth in the upcoming general election. For example, one
of the things we might do, subject to agents approval of course, is
contact registered overseas voters. EROs in every constituency have
lists of overseas voters and it would be quite easy for us to
undertake contact with these people. If we each paired with a CLP,
preferably those with slimmest majorities, the list of OS electors
could be e-mailed to us and we could send a personalised letter
listing Labour's achievements etc etc.
Maybe there are other things we could do - anyone any bright ideas?
Anything is better than watching from afar and seeing Howard et al
creeping up on us.
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6th May 2004
Hong Kong Contacts (1)
To: Anne MacKay, LI Membership Secretary
Anne
I have recently joined the Labour Party and am based in Hong Kong. Could you give me any Labour Party contacts
here or even permission to set up a branch in Hong Kong if it is defunct?
Many thanks
Jonny Ishaque
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Hong Kong Contacts (2)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Matt Pearce" <mjpearce2428@yahoo.com>
To: Anne MacKay
Sent: Friday, May 21, 2004 1:47 PM
Subject: Re: Question from Hong Kong
I would like to volunteer to be the new contact for
Labour Party members in Hong Kong. Would that be
possible? Also would you be able to let me know the
details of other Labour Party members in Hong Kong
so that I can contact them to ask if they might be
interested in forming a regular group which meets. I
notice that in Hong Kong the Conservatives have
their own group here with 130 members and their own
website, however, there seems to be no Labour presence in Hong Kong.
Kind regards,
Matt Pearce
Tel: (852) 6011 9671
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