London sees biggest-ever pensions march

Thousands marched through central London yesterday, in one of the biggest demonstrations yet calling on the Government to tackle the growing pensions problem.

Thousands marched through central London yesterday, in one of the biggest demonstrations yet calling on the Government to tackle the growing pensions problem.

The Trades Union Congress organised the Pay Up for Pensions rally amid new warnings about the number of workers facing poverty in retirement.

Urging immediate action, Brendan Barber, general secretary of the TUC, said: "We have got something like two million of today's pensioners living below the poverty line.

"Millions more are going to face poverty in retirement because ministers are walking away from promises they made. We are calling for a new, fairer system where everybody plays their part to provide a decent pension for everyoneelse."

Mr Barber dismissed as scaremongering claims by the British Chambers of Commerce that compulsory pension contributions from employers would lead to widespread job cuts.

Rodney Bickerstaffe, president of the National Pensioners Convention, said: "Occupational and private pensions are collapsing through corruption and mismanagement.

"The only way to give security to old people in a rich, advanced society like ours is to have a decent state pension as a right."