FORWARD Wales is the first political party in the UK to sign up to the Pensioners' Manifesto which seeks to guarantee a basic state pension of £105-a-week.
The National Pensioners' Convention, which represents more than 1.5 million pensioners in the UK, has developed this first manifesto of its type and is also calling for free long-term care and public transport for the elderly.
Dr John Marek, Forward Wales AM for Wrexham, said: 'Forward Wales is proud to be the first political party to endorse the six key components of the manifesto.'
The six key demands in the Pensioners Manifesto are:
£105 a week basic state pension to all men and women
The basic state pension to rise every year in line with average earnings
Free long-term care
Free travel on public transport
Replacement of council tax with a fairer system based on the ability to pay
Abolition of age discrimination in the provision of all goods and services
Dr Marek said: 'Since the link between the state pension to average earnings was abolished in 1980 the true value of the single person's pension has fallen by more than £30 per week. Both Labour and Tory MPs have been content to see this happen while at the same time voting to ensure that their own pay and pensions have soared.
'The UK is the fourth-richest economy in the world but we have the lowest basic state pension in Europe. At the same time our MPs have ensured that their own pension scheme is gold plated and the best in the UK.
'The 600,000 pensioners in Wales and the millions in the rest of the UK deserve better and the old political parties have let them down. We need a new broom in Westminster to ensure that our old people's pensions reflect the contribution they have made to the wealth of this country.'
For more information contact Forward Wales at info@forwardwales.org or call 01978 314085.
