EAST Lancashire teachers have won the backing of Hyndburn MP Greg Pope for their campaign against Government plans to change their pensions schemes.

In return for the opportunity to have greater choice in their retirement age, teachers are facing either reduced pensions, or bigger contributions.

They are also concerned that the new proposals affect not only new entrants to the profession, but existing teachers who have made their financial plans for retirement on the basis of the current scheme.

Mr Pope said: "I was lobbied recently by members of the NASUWT teachers' union who are worried about government plans to reform teachers' pensions.

"I am very sympathetic and, after meeting local teachers, I immediately signed Early Day Motion 1925. This motion calls on the Government and trade unions to discuss urgently whether a flexible decade of retirement could meet both Government objectives and the concerns of public servants."

He added: "I think we can all see that there needs to be some reforms to ensure that people are adequately provided for in retirement while also meeting the challenges of increasing life expectancy.

"However, I agree with the NASUWT that the proposed changes are not necessarily the best way of achieving these objectives.

"In particular, I am concerned about the effects they may have on teacher morale, recruitment and retention. I am also concerned about the retrospective nature of the proposals.

"Nobody in the teaching profession, unions of among MPs is disputing that the pensions scheme needs modernising, but this is not the way to do it. The Government has got some aspects of this reform wrong."