Castle Point's MP today warned council taxes could soar to pay for local government schemes now in deficit.

MP Bob Spink also claimed living standards of pensioners will plummet if nothing is done soon to tackle the pension crisis.

Mr Spink said: "I am growing increasingly concerned about the pending crisis in pensions. Workers are being shut out of final salary pension schemes and fewer people are saving for retirement.

"Current pensioners are finding it more difficult to get by, with council taxes soaring by far more than their yearly increase in their state pension."

The newly devised five proposed Tory policies to address the pension problems would involve state pensions rising each year by earnings rather than price inflation.

Published Friday July 16, 2004

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