Former politician Ann Widdecombe was left fuming on GB News today as she claimed "We just have to get on with it" in a heated debate about the digital age.
It comes after it has been revealed that public services are rapidly ‘going digital’ and Age UK says this means the 2.7 million people aged 65 and over in the UK who are not internet users are ‘offline and overlooked’.
The national charity is campaigning for public services to remain available face to face, over the telephone or via letters for people who cannot or do not want to access them online to prevent digital exclusion and maintain a more human approach.
However, speaking to GB News Widdecombe, 76, did not feel that this was necessary.
Ann Widdecombe fumed that pensioners are "lumped together"
GB News
The former politician said: "First of all, I think you should stop lumping all old folk together. There is an enormous difference between somebody in their 60s who almost certainly comes from the age of computers and somebody in their 90s who struggles a bit and whose brain doesn't work quite as fast as it used to, who fears new technology.
"There's an enormous difference. I'm sick of hearing the word pensioners as if we're all in the last stage of illness.
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"The second thing is that very sophisticated stuff you wouldn't expect them to do. But online banking, for example, is fairly simple. It can be mastered by most people and most people have access to the younger generation who can show them what to do if not.
"I think that we just have to get on with it."
Former headteacher Chris McGovern argued: "The fact is, there are differences between different people and it is a tragedy that there is no alternative.
"We do want the tax office to have a telephone line. We want the high street banks to be open. Technology has changed. But look, we mustn't run down all the people.
"On the whole, according to international surveys, the older generation are better educated than the younger generation. We spend all our time telling the younger generation to get off the internet, and now we're telling the old generation, get on the internet. We do need to help older people.
"Give them training, give them support as fast as we can."
Age UK claimed pensioners struggle with the digital era
PAEarlier in the debate he explained: "This so-called older generation is very resilient, and they are not going to be looking to be called victims.
"Although in some ways they are, because the modern digital age has, to some extent, passed them by.
"If they want to make a doctor's appointment, often they have to go online. If they want to go to a bank, the high street bank is closed. They have to do it all online.
If they want to park the car they need the right app. There is a for them to cope with there, there are some older people and generation that have have no problems, but I think Age UK who have raised these issues, are concerned about the fact that to some extent an older generation has been marginalised."
