PENSIONERS are going on the march in a bid to get a better deal from politicians.

Thousands will take part in a mass lobby of Parliament to publicise the first-ever Pensioners' Manifesto.

Huddersfield grey voters will join protesters at the lobby next Wednesday.

MPs will be presented with a manifesto of 62 proposals for improving elderly people's lives.

The charter covers pensions, health care, transport and taxation.

Every Parliamentary candidate is being asked to sign up to the requests in the run-up to the General Election, expected for next autumn.

The event is organised by the National Pensioners' Convention, which compiled the manifesto after discussion with local branches.

Noreen Logan, chairman of Huddersfield and District Pensioners' Organisation, said: "There are a lot of older people in Huddersfield who feel they have been let down by all the political parties.

"Older people will no longer sit back and accept what we're given.

"We will be telling the candidates at the next General Election that if they want our votes, they will have to support the pensioners' manifesto."

The responses of the candidates are due to be recorded and publicised.

Pensioners' leaders say the aim is to give voters in every constituency information about the views of their candidates before casting their vote on polling day.

Rodney Bickerstaffe, president of the National Pensioners' Convention, said: "Pensioners are fed up with being ignored by politicians.

"Having their own manifesto will mean that they can force the political parties to take them seriously.

"This is the first time that older people themselves have drawn up their own set of demands.

"With 11 million people over 60 and a high proportion of them likely to turn out and vote, the power of pensioners at the ballot box should not be underestimated."