What is CDC? (and will it be contagious?)

Apologies for the tabloid style headline, but in the Queen's speech yesterday, she announced that the Government is looking to introduce Dutch style "Collective Defined Contribution" pensions (or CDC).

For the 99% of the population who don't have a clue about CDC (or pensions generally) please click on this link to a post by Nigel Stanley, in the TUC Touchstone site "What are CDC Pensions and why are they a good thing". 

For another alternative view see Michael Johnson's post for the Centre for Policy Studies called "Collective DC: the least worse option". 

Hat tip picture "Starry Night" by Vincent Van Gogh.

Another day, another reason why the ABI is a self serving cartel ripping off UK pensioners

Check out Con Keating's brilliant rebuttal on Henry Tapper's blog of the latest attempt by the greedy cartel also known as the Association of British Insurers (ABI) to justify the ripping off of British pensioners.

I am amazed that otherwise decent and respectable insurance companies soil their reputation in this way. Their lust for excess profits from their rip off charges in the DC pension business mean they defend the indefensible and attack new better value ideas such as "Collective Defined Contributions schemes".

You are forced to conclude that the senior managers of insurance companies are far more concerned with their inflated pay and bonuses than the interests of their poor (in the true sense of the word) policy holders. 

Personally, I hope a future Labour Government will break up this cartel and separate the insurance and pension industries. There are clear conflicts of interest.

Hat tip Newham's own Nigel Stanley at TUC Touchstone