Odd really that there is so much still in the pot for the government to raid.

Those who were already retired when money stopped pouring into the fund (mass pit closures) are few and far between now and to my knowledge, I was far from unique in transferring my pot to a private scheme when I left the pit. In fact, very very few did keep it in there.

The biggest scandal, if you want a cross to carry, were the unscrupulous investment advisors who got huge percentages promising my colleagues to invest in their schemes and even screwing people with pension mortgages. I shopped around and did better but many didn't.

That's the real scandal - the money younger ex miners took out by bad advice into low yield private plans.

This issue regarding the MPS is slightly more complicated than the headline poorly worded petition. Doesn't mean the government have the moral upper hand, only that it is easy to dismiss petitions that don't point to the facts. A missed opportunity.