Calling our bluff?

Will you be taking part in National Pensions Day, or do you think that the very concept has the words "damp squib" written all over it? John Hutton, the secretary of state for work and pensions, announced today that the Government will earmark a day in March to talk to "stakeholders" and members of the public about our retirement.

Why are we having "simultaneous consultation events" in major UK cities? The Pensions Commission last year said that we face a future pensions crisis, and we must work longer, pay more taxes or be poorer in retirement.

So far, it has been the unelected Pensions Commission pushing forward the idea of a longer working life and higher spending on pensions. The Government, packed with ageing MPs whose own pension is the envy of all, is reluctant to repeat the Commission's assertions.

So, ministers call a national pensions debate. There are three ways of reading this move. Mr Hutton and his colleagues may be utterly sincere in their desire to hear your views about solving the pensions crisis. Alternatively, this is another stalling tactic from a Government which commissions a pensions report every couple of years, agrees solemnly that there is a problem and proceeds to do absolutely nothing about it. Or there is an even more cynical motive at play. Why not use the public's NIMBYism on pensions to kill the Pensions Commission proposals without being cast as the bad guys?

Try this experiment at home. Go up to a group of people and tell them about the ageing population and the tax timebomb we're storing up. Point out that the greatest minds thinking about pensions have only found one solution to the problem, which revolves around raising the age at which people retire. Most of the group will nod their heads sagely, and agree it makes sense. Say: "Ok, so you all agree to work until 70 for the financial health of the nation and to ease the tax burden on your children?" They will run for the hills.

This theory of mine has already been tested on public sector workers who were asked to wait until the age of 65 for their pension, rather than 60. Strike threats ensued, and the Government caved in.

So when the "national debate" finds a deep-rooted antipathy towards working longer, and the "national consensus" on pensions reform sought by Mr Hutton turns out to be "let's all do nothing and hope someone else picks up the bill", the Government will have an excuse not to act.

Please excuse my own cynicism but I've been writing about pensions for eight years, and the role has destroyed any faith in the Government's committment to dealing with the issues.  Am I wrong to be this cynical? You tell me. Let's have a debate about it.