CABP appears before the Canadian House of Commons' Standing Committee on International Trade

[Paul Swain]

Hi Everyone!

Ian Andexser, Chair of the Canadian Alliance of British Pensions (CABP),
appeared before the Canadian House of Commons' Standing Committee on
International Trade recently.  You can see his statement, and his
responses to questions at https://youtu.be/ta40oNUG2Xo  The video goes
for about 14 minutes, so it won't take too much of your time.

Note that it looks like there were a few other organisations appearing
at the same hearing, which is why there is a bit of jumping about as
these have been edited out.


Paul

[Richard Denton]

Hi Paul,

Ian Andexser set out the position of Canadian frozen pensioners very clearly and persuasively. The British as we well know refuse to engage why? because if they do they know the evidence is stacked against them and they will have to concede. The UK is alone in the western world ALONE in freezing pensions. I get my small little pension from France and it is indexed every year. It was contributory as was the UK. There is another side of the argument concerning reciprocity and that is Britain in its head of Commonwealth role leaned on the Commonwealth nations 70 odd years ago saying to them you pay for British pensioners and we’ll pay for your pensioners living in the UK. Well that was just bully tactics. The British knew full well there would always be many more British subjects living in the Commonwealth countries than there would be Commonwealth citizens living in the UK. It was an unequal reciprocity position right from the very start. The colonial power was using its authority to stampede the Commonwealth countries.

The climate of opinion in the UK is mixed with a majority weighted against us. The public are fed the message that you decided to live in Australia/Canada etc and you have all the joys and benefits of living a good life which is well known to be better than rainy old UK. Why should we in the UK continue to pay for your indexed pension? Your new country can look after you. In fact there is a feeling of resentment amongst many that the UK should pay more for expat pensions when domestic residents are suffering from low pay and overstretched health services etc. So the DWP and most politicians feel they have the support of national feeling and do not have to engage.

Maybe the pressure from trade talks could provide a way of linking the frozen pensions to a good outcome for us frozeners but I have my doubts. The give and take of trade talks is all about that with a result that benefits all parties. Unlocking the frozen pensions is a one way non benefit to the UK. Shame is the key to changing. And to get shame over in such a way that it provides kudos to the British government for being upstanding in removing an old colonial out of date rule.

Richard

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[JO ODDIE]

Hallo Richard

Thank you for your mail. I am sorry to say you have got the attitude of British politicians & the general public exactly right. 

I don’t know how the government is to be shamed into unfreezing our pensions - they are pretty shameless. I believe the freezing of our pensions is an establishment fiddle that deprives us of a pension we have paid our share for. It’s not some munificent gift from the government. I think I saw recently that UK gov has agreed to pay full SP to Brits living in Switzerland. Anyone know what was the quiz pro quo there?

Thank you to all of you who keep this ball rolling, & especially those of you who patiently monitor the situation & come up with ideas. 

Kind regards to all

Jo

Sent from my iPhone

On 7 Mar 2021, at 12:10, 'Richard Denton' via BAPA <bapa...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Hi Paul,

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/bapanews/989AC2F1-081B-4131-A114-4ED9437708F7%40me.com.

[Sheila Whyte]

Yes..thank you indeed !

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/bapanews/FC6A098E-5AAB-4634-8BD2-D3AF3F957450%40aol.com.

[Chris Hill]

Yes a very good presentation but the point I always think is missing is that I continue to pay full UK tax on my pensions which can be adjusted anytime at the governments behest and in the last budget my personal allowance is to be frozen next year to raise the income tax take and the spousal tax transfer has been cancelled as well. Because Thailand has a reciprocal tax agreement I only pay income tax in the UK where's Thailands income tax rate is a fraction of the UK's. However when agreeing the reciprocal tax agreement with the UK the reciprocal social services agreement was not included presumably because as well as minimal tax Thailand has minimal social security payments. 

So once again the UK picks and chooses it's least costly options without consideration for it's citizens. And now the Government is to cancel the 15 yr restriction on UK voting rights because it is unjust (doesn't cost anything!) perhaps in recognition of the " no taxation without representation" Tea Party argument. How about a new movement " frozen pensions attract no tax"!