Never work with children and animals.

That used to be a saying amongst show biz folks who were afraid of being upstaged by them. Politicians, particularly government ministers should be thinking “never work with pensioners” these days. Yesterday on our local evening news and in our local evening newspaper the minister for work and pensions Mike O’Brian was pictured celebrating 100 years of the old age pension with centenarian Nora Morris. He must have been thinking a nice safe photo opportunity here. Little old lady of 100 no probs. Well, Nora, bless her, completely upstaged him by asking for more money and explaining that what she gets at the moment only pays for her home. She was so sweet about it explaining she had nothing to spare. The ministers response was the usual round of well you’re getting an extra fifty quid on your fuel allowance and more if you’re over eighty but from what he didn’t say no real help for pensioners is on the way and we are going to continue short changing you with the inflation increases year on year. I hope this is will be a continuing campaign by pensioners to embarrass ministers and particularly Mike O’Brian. Well done Nora.