Blair ready for row with Brown over pensions - papers 28th December

The paper claims Downing Street officials say Blair is determined to press ahead in the spring with a radical overhaul of the pension system, following the recommendations of the independent commission headed by Lord Turner. But Gordon Brown remains sceptical about the need to scrap a system built on means-tested credits, which has allowed him to channel resources to the poorest pensioners since 1997. This dispute will have to be resolved if the government is to come forward with significant proposals in the pensions reform white paper promised for March. To head off the impending cris...