Letter: Both as Mayor and MP Dan Jarvis has failed to earn that trust

I was somewhat surprised to read Mayor Jarvis’s answer to how to restore trust in politicians and lessen the north south divide. It isn’t the political institutions – it’s the politicians. It isn’t devolution – it’s humanity, decency and honesty. It’s about making the right choices.

He could start by finally providing the minutes of meetings he’s had with Northern Rail and tell us why they want about £21m to restore the train concession when Greater Manchester pays about £600,000 pro rata. He complains that £1 spent in Yorkshire is £3.20 in London but when the train travel concession cost £1 A YEAR for every eligible pensioner he supported its withdrawal. That was £45,000 a year from Barnsley and £329,000 for the whole of South Yorkshire.One of his recent election pamphlets mentions “ dignity in retirement “Just the latest in a long list of meaningless phrases. Five years ago, over 50 pensioners, including many veterans, were kettled on Sheffield station, Dan Jarvis remained silent. Even when it was revealed that a Sheffield Star reporter was ordered to delete the video recording of the kettling or face arrest under the Terrorism Act he remained silent. The two arrested (and later acquitted), were afforded no dignity whatsoever as seen in the photograph. Where was 65-year-old Tony’s dignity?

Dan Jarvis MP didn’t even ask if this retired gentleman was ok let alone ask what he could do to help. We weren’t terrorists. We weren’t anarchists. We weren’t a mob. We were, and are, old people (with arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and a lifetime of caring, of military and public service), protesting at the withdrawal of a concession enjoyed by those “down south”.

Many elderly people in South Yorkshire have one of the lowest state pensions in Europe – £7500 (£25,000 in Sweden), and warm words about the unacceptable winter fuel death rate just doesn’t cut it.

The £4,800 Barnsley council spends weekly on free food and drink in the mayor’s office would have provided 240 elderly people facing the choice of heating or eating with £20 weekly special payments. Switching the £10,000 a year on solid gold medallions for out-going mayor’s would have made the numbers up to 250. Having the mayor catch the bus as is the norm in many enlightened countries would bring those meaningfully supported to over 300.

Words, heavy on the empty rhetoric and featherlight on action, is not supporting “dignity in retirement”. It’s doing nothing.

Mayor Jarvis CAN change things for the better. He simply chooses not to. The poverty of intelligent ambition and lack of creative compassion is staggering.

Trust has to be earned. We feel the contempt as heavily as any blow to the head or slap to the face. Both as Mayor and MP Dan Jarvis has failed to earn that trust.

Restoring the concession and stopping the evil of choosing heating or eating for over 300 of our most vulnerable will be a start.