WHILE I support the call from Paul Jagger to save public sector workers' pensions (Letters, February 18), it should be remembered that private workers' pensions are also under attack from this Labour administration.

Since coming to power in 1997, Gordon Brown has raided pension schemes with one of his infamous stealth taxes to the tune of £40 billion and continues to take out £5 billion a year.

While doing this, he has announced that the Government will set up a safety net for failed pension funds with an investment of £400 million. In reality he has promised to put in £20 million a year for the next 20 years while still taking out the £5 billion a year.

If Gordon repaid the £40 billion and stopped taking further money out of our pension schemes, then most of the pension black holes would be refilled.

During the 1990s when the Conservatives were still in power, the Evening Press reported a speech made in York by John Prescott in which he warned that the Conservatives had a secret agenda to raise the pension age.

Even though the Conservatives denied this, Mr Prescott continued to say that only a Labour Government would preserve pensions and pension age.

Perhaps our Labour MP would like to comment?

Tony Taylor,

Grassholme,

Woodthorpe, York.

Updated: 10:20 Tuesday, February 22, 2005