PENSIONERS carrying banners and chanting slogans marched from Bournemouth Square to the Conservative Party conference to demand a better deal from politicians.

They joined a protest organised by the Olde English Wessex Group, calling for an end to means-tested benefits. But while a similar march at last year's Labour Party conference attracted hundreds of demonstrators, this time around there were less than 100. Among them was Dorothy Shotton, of Redhill Park, Bournemouth, who said: "I think pensioners do get a poor deal. Pensions really ought to be index-linked, then everybody would get more."

John Cherrett of Poole, a retired coastguard and trades unionist from the National Pensioners Convention, said: "People are getting fed up, not just with Council tax but also with health, travel, a whole gamut of things."

Don and Jean Mackenzie of Strouden Park, Bournemouth, admitted it was only their second demonstration, but they had been moved to act by the way pensions were failing to keep pace with the cost of living.

"There were more people last year than now. My wife and I had never done this before, but we had to do something. We haven't had a holiday for two years because things are beginning to get more expensive," said Mr Mackenzie.

Margaret Watts, of Weymouth, said she was campaigning on behalf of the three out of four women who do not receive a full pension. "We live in a wealthy country and that should not happen."

Dennis Harrison, 79, of Bournemouth, said: "Council taxes are our main problem. They have gone up too much bearing in mind our pension."

Sheila Mettam, of Bournemouth, said "My husband and I are both retired and have got nothing to live on. It is like a dictatorship; we had to pay into our pensions but are receiving nothing."

Shadow pensions minister Nigel Waterson met the demonstrators on the steps of the BIC and pledged that the Tories would restore the link between pensions and average earnings.

First published: Oct 6