PENSIONERS are calling for MP James Purnell to back a campaign to end age discrimination.

More than 1,000 of his elderly constituents in Stalybridge and Hyde have signed a petition which was handed to the Work and Pensions Secretary MP on Friday.

The petition – part of Help the Aged’s ‘Just Equal Treatment’ campaign – asks for anti-age discrimination legislation to be brought in for goods, facilities and services.

Examples include being denied certain medical treatment, having to retire at the age of 60 as a scout or guide leader, and being forced to sell their homes to pay for residential care.

Jean Sutcliffe, 75, was part of the group which gave Mr Purnell a grilling at his office in Hyde Town Hall.

"The people I spoke to, as with myself, worked all our lives and happily paid into a system that promised to provide us with the free care we needed to ensure we would be treated with dignity and respect," said Mrs Sutcliffe.

"Those of us who were frugal enough to save along the way are still, by virtue of the fact that we are taxed on our savings, paying into the chancellor’s coffers.

"Many people like myself are refused Motability allowance because they are over 65 – told that we are not disabled, we have a mobility problem due to old age.

Sacked

"It is supposed to be illegal to discriminate on age in the workplace and James Purnell made this point. Obviously he did not see the recent TV programmes where lecturers and researchers had been sacked because they had reached 60–65.

"It is illegal to discriminate on sex, race and religion but not on age.

"But there is discrimination on age right across the whole spectrum of society, not just against the elderly, who certainly deserve to be treated better than they are."

Mr Purnell said the government was currently looking at the issue and that he would take their concerns back to Parliament.