WHAT a great silver vote winner from the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the budget last week in that the Government is going to abolish compulsory pension annuities.

If only I had been offered this choice. Being self-employed, I opted for three private pensions to spread the risk and I trusted those that had my financial responsibility.

Big mistake. I ended up with very little – my pension isn’t inflation proof and only lasts ten years if I die and is not transferable even to my wife. Count your lucky stars if you get a public or company pension that is a golden parachute.

I would now recommend anyone to take over their own finances and buy a house/houses to rent out rather than take out an annuity or even a pension in the first place.

We should be trusted with our own money when we’ve worked hard for our retirement fund, and we could do a much better job than those who have betrayed us and ripped us off for too long.

Oh, and I wouldn’t blow my money on the Lamborghini thing – my son treated me for a test drive which was… all right. I might be tempted though with a Rolls-Royce.

Keith Massey, Mill Lane, York.