Money
News
The Saga Generation Manifesto
Six demands for a fairer society for the over 50s
The majority of voters at the forthcoming General Election are likely to be over 50, which makes it the first time that the Saga Generation will have such a decisive influence on the future direction of the country. This is not just because we are living longer and the balance is shifting between older and younger people.
Propensity to vote rises with age. A recent Populus poll for The Times found that 63 per cent of over-55s said they were certain to vote in the election compared with 21 per cent of those aged 18-24, 37 per cent aged 25-34 and 44 per cent of 35 to 44-year-olds. A separate poll of over 14,000 Saga customers, in December 2009, showed that 80 per cent of those aged 50 and over were certain to vote.
So, despite the cult of youth which affects all political parties, the over-55s are three times more likely to vote than the under 25s.
Politicians need to remember that, particularly as in many constituencies the number of electors over 50 is significantly larger than the MP’s majority.
While older people share the wishes and demands of many of the rest of the population, there are some issues which specifically affect them. We have identified these in a number of ways – through reader feedback to Saga Magazine; contributions to Saga Zone, the over-50s social networking site; and through the Saga Populus Panel, which is the largest monthly poll of over-50s opinion in the UK. Together these have given us a unique insight into the needs and concerns of the articulate, knowledgeable and influential group that is the Saga Generation.
This manifesto is not comprehensive in its scope but aims to ensure that many of the key issues that the Saga Generation highlighted are presented to the political parties as we approach the General Election. Woe betide any party that ignores us.
Only a few months ago, the German Federal Elections were strongly affected by grey power. Political scientist Hans Rattinger commented: "No party can afford to conduct a campaign that fails to take into account the growing importance of pensioners" – and none did. Saga expects such an awakening of grey power to be reflected in the UK General Election of 2010.
Click below to listen to Emma Soames talking about the Saga Generation Manifesto:
What do you think?
Please download the PDF to read this manifesto in full, and let us know what you think at Saga Zone.
