Never underestimate the power of the "women's movement" in pleading for special treatment and special favours - they always get their way. You only have to look at the infamous anonymity u-turn.
When the coalition government said that the state pension age should be 65 for men and women at 2018 and then rise to 66 in 2020, the "women's movement" went mad. And as we all suspected, the government has caved in and is looking to make special compromises.
No decisions have been made but the mood music all this week at the Lib Dem conference has been how the coalition government is looking to 'soften the blow'. Steve Webb, the pension minister is looking at it, spurred on by the Cabinet Member, Iain Duncan Smith, with the soothing overtures of David Cameron who is going after the women's vote.
There has been plenty of coverage on the issue and wonderful comments in the sections which allow it, but there continues to be no recognition by politicians or the media about the fact that men have been condemned to 70 years of sexism by having to retire at 65 while women have had the luxury of retiring at 60 (now albeit rising) - as well as living longer.
One of the best comments in the newspapers sums it all up:
When I celebrated my 60th birthday five years ago a female colleague of mine celebrated her own 60th birthday at around the same time as mine. Being male, I did not receive any State Pension at all. My female colleague started to receive her State Pension on top of her salary and also stopped paying National Insurance. State Pension equality is well overdue. Allan Jones, Prenton (Daily Mail)
The silence remains deliberate and shows how sexism against men does not register on the political map, but a whiff of alleged sexism against women, goes straight to the very top. Shameful.
Posed by Skimmington
Media coverage - Telegraph, Daily Mail
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