Yet again, the law in this country has proved itself to be an absolute ass.

The court in this instance is no less than the Court of Appeal, from whose judges you might reasonably expect a sensible decision.

Sorry. Wrong!

The problem is about the pensions of almost half a million Britons who have chosen to retire abroad and have their state pensions paid into their country of residence.

Just like the rest us, these people have spent their working lives contributing towards their pensions.

For those who have gone to places such as France or Spain, or even to America, there is no problem. The pensions are paid and uprated each year in line with inflation just as they are here.

But cross over the border from America into Canada, or dare to go somewhere as outlandish as Australia, New Zealand or South Africa and the trouble starts. In those countries, your state pension is permanently frozen at the level it is when you leave Britain.

This wretched anomaly has come to light as the result of a case before the Court of Appeal, brought by an English author called Annette Carson, who now lives in South Africa.

In spite of the fact the Government has already conceded it is illogical for pensioners living in Europe and America to get pension increases while others do not, it chose to fight Annette Carson's appeal.

It used the shabby argument it would be too expensive to upgrade all pensions - a cost estimated at about an extra £390 million a year.

Some Pensions Department spokesman who has clearly never heard the words "justice" or "morality" gloated afterwards that the judgement confirmed their belief there was no need to upgrade pensions where there was no legal requirement to do so.

The sanctimonious mouthpiece babbled on about the need to help the poorest pensioners living in this country, helping them to have a decent income in retirement.

This is shameful, disreputable cant from the Government - yet another example of choosing a soft target with which to save money.

Not only has Annette Carson been left with the High Court and Appeal Court costs, she was refused leave to take her case to the House of Lords. Government leaning on the judiciary?

In his judgement, the Appeal Court judge, Lord Justice Laws, came up with the sort of remark some judges have become notorious for. "There will be," said m'Lud, "if I may be forgiven a jejune metaphor, swings and roundabouts." He talked of the random effects of making the upgrading available to all pensioners.

No doubt he had in mind the case of the 95-year-old British pensioner living in Australia who started drawing his pension of £6.75 a week in 1972 - and that remains all he gets.

Is this the British justice and fair play we love to boast about to the rest of the world?