Pensions
I was the only MP to address the annual Pensioners' Parliament of the National Pensioners' Convention in 2006 and I fully back their calls for real and immediate pension reform. I tabled the motion to adopt the Pensioners' Manifesto and believe that much more must be done.

While I am glad that the Government has detailed plans to restore the link with earnings, it is simply not good enough to have to wait until 2012 by when three million of today's pensioners will no longer be with us and the real value of the basic state pension will have slipped still further.

Kate addressing Lambeth Pensioneers Action Group 25th anniversary
conference, 2004

To ensure proper dignity among today's pensioners the link - shamefully removed by the Thatcher government in 1980 - must be restored much sooner.