A FYLDE Coast MP launches a huge campaign on behalf of poverty-line pensioners on Friday (January 7).

Wyre MP Hilton Dawson has hired the biggest venue in his constituency - the Town Hall in Lancaster - for a public meeting at 2pm to be addressed by Bruce Kent of the National Pensioners Convention.

"It's a two-pronged campaign," said the Labour MP, "first to persuade the Government to raise the basic rate of pension, and second, to restore the earnings link."

This link, raising pensions in line with average earnings rather than inflation, was scrapped by the Tories in 1980. It would have meant a single person's pension would now be £95 a week instead of £67. Mr Dawson strongly opposes the Government's proposed basic pension-rise of just 73p.

For the past two months Mr Dawson has been collecting names on a petition appealing for a better deal for pensioners, to be presented at No 10 Downing Street before the March budget.

He is working with the National Pensioners Convention, Help the Aged and Age Concern as well as other concerned MPs to raise the profile of pensioners trying to make ends meet on meagre means. "I get some heart-breaking letters from pensioners who are obviously struggling on very low incomes indeed," he said. "I think the Government is trying to address the issues through the Minimum Income Guarantee, but that involves means-testing, which many pensioners are reluctant to take up."

Under the Minimum Income Guarantee, every pensioner is entitled to at least £75 a week in benefits, and pensioner-couples are entitled to £116.60 a week, but it has been poorly-publicised.

A £100 fuel allowance and free TV licences for over-75s were also welcome, said Mr Dawson, but he went on, "There's still a very serious issue of pensioner-poverty which we need to address in a more fundamental way than we've been able to so far."

His constituency alone has nearly 21,000 pensioners, he said: "They have a big part to play in our society and in our local economy, and it's essential their voices are heard."

He wants as many people as possible to put their views forward at the meeting. Petition forms are available from his office, telephone (01524) 380057.

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