TODAY, many local teachers will be going on strike to protest against the extra pension contributions being forced upon them by the Government.

I know that my colleagues and I in the local Labour party are fully supportive of them.

Many of our members are teachers and are desperate to avoid strikes.

But faced with a complete lack of negotiation, a tactic that the Conservatives have transferred from their dealings with the LibDems, they are left with little choice.

The population’s increasing life expectancy does require a rethink on pensions.

However, the way to go about it is not to impose new rules but get a solution that all affected parties can support and agree to.

The previous Labour government put teachers’ pensions on a level footing and allowed for increased contributions in the case of a shortfall. This was all achieved via agreement and without strikes.

Instead, the Conservatives are falling back on their age-old strategy of divide and rule, so that society directs its anger inwards rather than at a Government imposing ideological cuts.

Tim Lunnon, Brighton Pavilion Labour Party