official forecast today 10 million live to 100

[GabbyLoggon]

The official forecast says 1 in 5 of those living today will make 100 ...thats 10
million....

My immediate thought was "do give over"

It is only a forecast; but it seems rediculously high...what do you think?

I suspect govt are using it to back a pensions argument. (Its aLL OVER TODAYS NEWS.)

YABU. Sounds perfectly reasonable. Life-expectancy has been consistently improving - today's average is in the 80's already - and why shouldn't future medical advances mean that babies born today live to well inside the 22nd Century?

And the 'pensions argument' has been on the table for a long time already. Where have you been? If financial planning is made on the basis of people surviving 10 - 15 years post retirement then if more are surviving 30+ years those plans will have to be remade.

Politics is a devious business by definition, chile...(we must not blame them,)

I expect to see and hear this forecast seriously debated in press,radio and TV in the next few days....

See if the 10million headline grabbing figure stands up to scrutiny...

You will have noticed that HMG have put out a headline grabbing statement 3 or 4 days running.....all governments do this...
but I thought this Tory led lot were claiming to be different.

Macmillion was right "event" dictate.
Camerooney is trying to seal the FibDems
into his Coalition...its a "no escape policy." The Vince Cable thing frightened them

Time will tell

time will tell....yes,lets leave it 100 years and see

What are you going on about? What has Macmillon (sic) got to do with anything? Population is increasing, life expectancy is increasing. Government statisticians have a duty to forecast changes in demographics so that plans can be made. In the case of an increasing number of older people that means not just pensions but provision for associated services, care-homes, NHS requirements. There are other forecasts for the birth-rate because that impacts on school provisions etc. Why assume it's 'devious'?

Macmillion gets quoted more than any other Tory PM (He was a good turn. But Rab Butler would not agree)

As Tiffany infers Chile, neither you or I will live to see if this forecast is correct)

Why are PMs devious? Because their obsession has to be winning the next general election...That is understandable. (They will not put out forecasts which lose them votes) Would you, Chile, if your job depended on it?....

I was not too happy about what the Telegraph did to Vincent Cable...you,Chile, who seems to lean to the Right, may have views on "secret recording"? I want you to cough....spill your ethical beans. Is it Right or wrong?

What?.... (And it's Harold Macmillan with an 'a' by the way if you're going to insist on referring to him). How does a forecast of 1 in 6 reaching the age of 100 win or lose anyone a vote? Failing to plan for the future rise in the numbers of elderly would be bad government, but issuing the forecast on its own isn't going to sway anyone's voting habits.

On the Cable question, journos have always had to operate close to the moral wind in order to get a good story... secret tape recorders are standard issue. Anyone in public life should have the smarts to realise that they are never 'off the record' and should therefore exercise discretion at all times. Gordon Brown discovered that to his cost when commenting on Mrs Duffy and on this occasion Vince Cable's vanity got in the way of his better judgement. He obviously wanted to impress a young woman - wouldn't be the last silly middle-aged man to do that.

Chile...lots of statements are being put out by the Tory Coalition...they will probably hold back the ones which may damage their chances. (thats routine, power politics.)

Being a government is not like running a day nursery or posting on Mumsnet...

I think you let the press off to lightly on lack of ethics, Chile.

But I must admit some of the "secret recording" done by the Beeb influenced my
attitute to "assisted suicide" It showed old people being treated badly.
Super Macmillion did not mind a bit of fun. He went to a club and watched Peter Cook
pull him apart. Cook was cruel but funny

.

How exactly does the story that 1 in 6 will reach 100 improve the Coalition chances of re-election? It's a forecast statistic based on trends & no more a vote-winner than the news that the average age of first-time mothers has increased. Can't imagine anyone's thick enough to assume that voting Tory means they'll live longer....????

If you accept that there's a place for covert journalist tactics when used for serious matters that are in the public interest then you should heartily approve of Cable's anti-Murdoch sentiments being exposed when he was supposed to be an impartial judge on the deal

"How exactly does the story that 1 in 6 will reach 100 improve the Coalition chances of re-election? It's a forecast statistic based on trends & no more a vote-winner than the news that the average age of first-time mothers has increased. Can't imagine anyone's thick enough to assume that voting Tory means they'll live longer....????"

Exactly. Is this OP some kind of wind up?

I'm 129!

The baby boomers may live to that age but I dont think the post-1990 generation will.

\link{http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=1875\if you look at the graph on here} - I can quite imagine if it keeps going at that pace, and with the advances in medical know-how etc that it would happen.

If its true where is the pension going to come from?
Or will the gov run a "die for your country" campaign. Surviving relatives get a free lottery ticket?

no sooty, its not a wind up....it was all over the news the other day HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE we will be back on the job in the New Year...And posting messages too. Nildesperandum

Is there not a set of stats around that says the current generation of young people will die before their parents