Few areas of policy were more divisive in the lead up to the 2014 Independence Referendum than Pensions. People were told repeatedly that one of the most significant risks of independence was losing pension security and the infamous ‘triple lock’. We know this issue was hugely influential in shaping the views of older voters who naturally were concerned about the perceived risk to their pension contributions.
Roll on to 2021, and almost every protection voters were promised by Better Together campaigners have been dismantled – including the promise of triple-lock pensions which the UK Tory Government intends to suspend in 2022.
In this episode, Drew talks with SNP Westminster Group Leader Ian Blackford to discuss how the debate around pensions has shaped since the referendum. They discuss the impact of pensions policy on people living in Scotland and discuss the issues facing women born in the 1950s. Many people will be familiar with the WASPI campaign against this injustice. Ian and Drew discuss how the UK Government could and should have made different decisions to support women affected by these changes.
People living in Scotland rightly want to know that the pensions they have paid into all their working lives are in safe hands. It is a subject that will dominate the debate ahead of the next referendum, making this episode is a must-listen for campaigners.
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Listen to other Scotland’s Choice episodes here.