Friday, Jun 27, 2008
pensioners were being forced to choose between eating and heating.
Western Daily Press: SOMERSET OAP KILLED HIMSELF IN 'BUDGET PROTEST'
A Somerset pensioner was so tormented by rising household bills he electrocuted himself after the latest Budget, an inquest was told.
The daughter of 92-year-old war veteran George Mechan told a hearing she found him at his home in Mark, near Burnham-on-Sea, slumped in an armchair on March 13, the day after Alistair Darling's House of Commons address.
He had taped wires to his fingers and killed himself surrounded by newspaper articles about the Chancellor's economic blueprint, the hearing in Taunton was told.
The widower had become increasingly concerned about the rising cost of living and his family believe the Budget in March was the final straw.
Posted by malct @ 10:39 AM (394 views) Add Comment
5 Comments
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1. Stevie Dee said...
Terrible...
2. Nellie said...
What a damning indictment of life under Nu labour. Benefit breeders get a meal ticket from the tax payer for life and a war veteran is driven to this level of desperation.
3. Spiraldive486 said...
If this story is accurate, what a tragedy.
What type of society leaves a 92 year old man who fought for his country, unable to pay for his heating bills.
I'm utterly disgusted, if TB and GB have any shred of decency they'd be dying of shame over the state that they have led this country to.
4. drewster said...
Not really related to HPC, but.....
Heating costs are rising and there's nothing the government can do about it. Don't expect the government to bail you out. There are a number of steps pensionners can take: insulating their homes, super-insulating just one room in the house, or spending the daytime with relatives or neighbours in order to share costs. Four pensionners heating four houses alone is expensive; but if those four all gathered in one house each day then they'd save money and have some company too.
5. Davip said...
@drewster. There's a great deal the govt can do about it. What sort of govt puts a 'value added' tax on fuel?
As you seem happy to offer advice on keeping warm, perhaps we should wire you up?