Lloyd George and the Old Age Pension

4.30.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 7th May 2008

The 100 year anniversary of the introduction of Old Age Pensions by the Liberal government of H H Asquith when Lloyd George was Chancellor of the Exchequer, continues to excite interest. An article in today's Western Mail recalls the legislation and discusses whether working men really did shout "God Bless Lloyd George" when they heard the news about their pensions, asking if this was actually historical spin doctoring on the Welsh wizard's part.

The article questions whether the current value of the Old Age Pension is adequate and discusses the need for reform in an era of a growing population of eligible pensioners.

The introduction of the pension in 1908 and the whole of the social reform programme of the Asquith government between 1908 and the outbreak of war in 1914 is scheduled to be the topic for discussion at this year's Liberal Democrat History Group fringe meeting at Bournemouth in September with a speaker from the National Pensioner's Convention as well as an academic speaker. Jane Bonham Carter, granddaughter of Asquith, and a member of the House of Lords has agreed to chair the meeting.

You can read the whole of the Western Mail article at:

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/05/07/state-pension-still-in-need-of-urgent-reform-91466-20871378/