Tuesday 24 March 2009

Mandatory retirement for MP's!


I don't think so do you. however, to make a point 3 MP's have tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament calling on no MP to stand for re-election once they reach the age of 65.

The move follows last week’s decision by the European Court of Justice in the Heyday/Age Concern challenge. The Court found that the introduction of the default or mandatory retirement age as part of the Equal Employment (age) Regulations 2006 did not contravene the original EU ‘Equal Treatment’ Directive. However, it ruled that it will ultimately for High Court in London to decide whether the default retirement age of 65 breaches EU law.

The Motion was signed by 3 MPs - Stephen Pound (pictured), Neil Gerrard and Andrew George - and could be seen as ensuring that members of Parliament are subject to similar limitations on their post 65 employment prospects as the rest of the older working age population. The wording of their EDM states:

“That this House notes with regret the opposition of the Government to the case brought by Age Concern to the European Court of Justice; and regrets that a mandatory retirement age of 65 years will now continue to apply in the UK; and, in the interests of consistency, believes that no hon. or right hon. Member should in future stand for re-election if their age exceeds 65 years.”

EDMs are formal motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons. However, very few EDMs are actually debated but they are used for reasons such as publicising the views of individual MPs, drawing attention to specific events or campaigns, and demonstrating the extent of parliamentary support for a particular cause or point of vie. So let us hope that it just might get our MP's thinking a bit more of the discriminated against fellow citizens.

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