THEY rallied to prick the conscience of those fighting for power and influence.

More than 50 Hampshire pensioners converged in Eastleigh town centre to sign up canvassing by-election candidates to pledge to fully compensate those who lost pension money when Equitable Life collapsed in 2000.

An estimated 2,500 pensioners in the borough lost between 25 per cent and 60 per cent of their pensions as a result of the scandal.

But more than a decade on many out of pocket pensioners have received only a fraction back or have died in poverty before receiving what was due.

Campaigner Ray Green, a 76–year-old retired insurance agent from Eastleigh, said: “It is absolutely disastrous. After a decade of campaigning we have been fobbed off with a fifth of what we have lost as a result of Government maladministration.

“They admit I have lost £26,000 from my pension but the Government have paid me less than £6,000, blaming public spending cuts.

“I haven't noticed any other Government expenditure being cut to the tune of 80 per cent or their other debts being defaulted on.

“So why should we carry the burden?”

Among the candidates they signed for the pledge UKIP’s Diane James and Liberal Democrat Mike Thornton.

This comes after a similar pledge signed before the 2010 General Election by Lib Dem MP Chris Huhne who went on to serve in the Cabinet.

Along with 380 other MPs, Mr Huhne signed a pledge to deliver “proper compensation in a swift, simple, transparent and fair payment scheme which was independent of Government”.

This promise followed a damning report from the Parliamentary Ombudsman, blaming Government regulators for a decade of “maladministration leading to injustice”.

But the 2010 pledge was to no avail.

Mr Green said: “Mr Huhne ignored his pledge. I had at least ten meetings with him and on every occasion he was evasive and did nothing but forward my mail to the appropriate department.

“My retirement has been devastated by this scandal, carried out with the knowledge of those who were supposed to protect us.

“Meanwhile, MPs and civil servants continue to enjoy a generous copper bottom, inflation-proof pension funded by me and other taxpayers.