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Pension boost is blocked
Jul 18 2007 By Jon Griffin, Birmingham Mail
ANGRY Midlanders accused MPs of dealing in "silly party politics" after a five-year fight for justice in a pensions scandal was blocked again in the House of Commons.
Campaigners from Kalamazoo and other Midland firms whose pensions were slashed in half when their firms went under were at yesterday's Commons debate which rejected a 'Lifeboat Fund' for victims.
Pensions Minister Mike O'Brien instead said the Government would match any extra funds - now thought to be around £1.7 billion - in collapsed schemes, channelling more compensation to pensioners.
But campaign leader Peter Wheeler, who stands to lose tens of thousands of pounds from his Kalamazoo pension, said today: "This is another step closer but it is not the outcome that we wanted." He said campaigners would now lobby the House of Lords.
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