The majority of voters at the forthcoming General Election are likely to be over 50, which makes it the first time that the Saga Generation will have such a decisive influence on the future direction of the country.

We have compiled a Manifesto based on what our customers have told us that they feel needs to be addressed in a future parliament. This manifesto is not comprehensive in its scope but aims to ensure that many of the key issues that the Saga Generation highlighted are presented to the political parties as we approach the General Election.

We would love to know what you think.

Supplementary question:

The last sentence says 'We'd love to know what you think'. This contradicts the claim at the beginning, saying that you already know what 'our customers' think and have put it in manifesto form.

That still doesn't explain the contradiction: either Saga knew its customers' view and expressed it for us or it is wondering whether its manifesto might express a majority view amongst their customers.

(I am both a paying customer for one of their services and a member of this free board. There will be many SZ people in that position.)

I suppose it is a matter of whether this Manifesto is fixed and finished, or whether it is in the making, with our input still to come.

It is a little unusual for a company to declare what its customers' political aspirations are. An exception would be the Co-operative Bank, which every now and then asks all its customers' views on some political issues related to 'green' or 'ethical' policies for guiding the bank's investment decisions.

Saga's main aim might be to maximise profits for shareholders. How would that fit with representing customers politically?

Saga has a unique selling point.....it has contact with the over fifties thro' this site and a decent magazine.If this is used in a sensible and cohesive way, it can provide information to others who are interested in this age group.....many I would think.Selling specific aspirations, including political, is of value to Saga......it has to raise revenue.

What do you mean by 'selling aspirations, including political', Tony? The manifesto is being published free. Maybe it shows majority aspirations, maybe not. Its sources are not transparently available for us to see. That is unusual, if the writers are claiming to represent a goodly chunk of the age-group.

I think it quite likely that Saga is trying to place itself as a company that represents the over fifties and is anxious to build up a data base of information pertaining to this group.If saga can gain a reputation as a serious player in this market, it will enhance it's reputation enormously.

This idea of a manifesto ( provided free ) could be the start of a concerted plan to achieve that status.

SAGA already has a huge database on us .... we who buy their products ... we take out our motor insurance with them and our house insurance and they insure the contents therof and we book our holidays and cruises with them and we buy and sell our shares through them and we buy their two year fixed interest bonds and they know whether or not we belong to the AA 'cos it is part of the group and they know the make and model of our cars and the year of purchase .. SAGA profiles us very nicely thank you, methinks without the need for asking us what perfume we wear or our breakfast cereal of choice. What more do they need to know?

They can even read our posts in the forums if they want to .. but I think even HQ would draw the line at the relationships threads ... for their marketing team, that would have to be beyond the call of duty!

Yeah. Right. Already. If you think so, Suspect the Bugle might respond. If we could work out what was going on. Oh dear. Again....

I would like to see a fairer society for all remembering the over fifties are part of that society. Whilst the aims of the Manifesto are admirable by implementing too much in the favour of the older generation we risk isolating ourselves as a privileged group which the younger generation may resent and have even less respect for.

As regard tax breaks on savings and investments the current ISA allowances steadily accumulated over a few years mean the most of us need pay little or no tax on those investments. If we have not taken advantage of the ISA allowances that is our own fault. We do get extra tax allowances and other perks by virtue of being older.

An end to ageism would be nice and you can legislate for it but in reality you cannot make employers take on older workers if they don't want to anymore than you can make them take on younger workers. The younger people about to enter the work force are equally disadvantaged at the moment. At 65 I would like to work and do a little voluntary work, if there was a job for I would take it but I don't need it as much as a 40 something with a family to support.

With regard to ageism in parliament, there is probably a higher percentage of 50+ people in parliament than in the general workplace. Parliament / Government has shown over recent years that age and experience is not always a safeguard against incompetence. The corporate lack of common sense annoys all age groups equally. To become an MP you have to be selected by a local selection committee as a candidate and vetted to central office, unless you want to stand as an independent. MP's chosen when younger often continue well past pension age, in many "safe" seats they become complacent and ineffective as well as 50+. Even an enthusiastic 50+ is not likely to be taken on as an untried candidate.

Talking of elder incompetence. The Thatcher / Regan alliance led to the decline in banking standards and the decline of manufacturing in the UK and the US. They were both over 50 at the time.

Safer streets. As over 50's will do feel more vulnerable but statistically we as a group are safer than the younger generation. Don't forget that anti-social and criminal behaviour is only committed by around 2% of the population, that 2% also contains some 50+ individuals. most younger people feel the same as the rest of us.

As one who always votes I feel that the time has come to make voting compulsory fining those who do not vote. That works in Australia and their government by all accounts has been shown to be much better than ours.

Rant over - MM.