A SALTCOATS community activist has started a petition for a Pensioners’ Parliament for Scotland – to give them ‘a voice in decisions made on their behalf in the Scottish government’.

Jimmy Miller started the online petition because: “Pensioners are an ever-growing group and I think people don’t realise their voices can be heard.” In his petition statement Jimmy says: “At this time we as Scottish pensioners feel we are being paid lip service to, and that no action is being taken of our concerns.

“We in the Scottish Seniors Alliance have produced a consultation document which explains how we would propose to set up a Pensioners’ Parliament.

“We travelled the length and breadth of Scotland discussing our documment with the relevant organisations and found there was a 97 per cent support for our proposal, but for some reason politicians seem reluctant to step up to the plate and support us.

“Politicians should remember that as a group pensioners are more likely to get out and vote, so it is imperative that they not only listen but act on our concerns and wishes.” Jimmy joined the Labour Party in 1974 but left during the Blair-Brown years. “I rejoined the Labour Party to work within it to press for the Pensioners’ Parliament,” he says.

Northern Ireland has its own Pensioners Parliament that meets in towns and cities across the province with the aim of allowing older members of the community to have their say on issues that affect them.

Jimmy hopes to set up a similar lobby group to look after the interest of Scottish pensioners.

To sign up to James’ petition go to you.38degrees.org.uk and search for ‘pensioner’s parliament’.