IT can be hard to think of a topic for a column when you’ve just returned from two weeks off.

My head is full of nice holiday memories, little but important things like being able to see my child both when he wakes up and when he goes to sleep (sadly not the norm during “real life”).

I will admit to having a dose of post-holiday blues, not helped by the most miserable walk to to work on my first day back where I was subjected to something the BBC weather app referred to as “light rain” but left me soaked to the skin with wet feet to boot (no pun intended).

Consequently I’m also a bit of a grumpy old bag at the moment, irritated by everything on a low level and feeling a bit sorry for myself, but not quite bad enough to get on my high horse about it.

Old bags was actually my first choice of column topic – the type you need to dust off and take shopping with you then keep for next time, thanks to the government’s new 5p carrier bag charge.

The problem I have, however, is that I just can’t get annoyed about it. Not just because of post-break apathy, but because it makes perfect sense to me.

I always have a reusable bag of some sort with me, not just a “bag for life” plastic one but proper fabric, washable, roll up, stash away, whatever – there’s a whole world of bags out there to be explored.

I popped out for a few bits yesterday and saw loads of people who had come prepared and were happy to use their own bags, despite the till operators asking every single one of them did they need one. If you see a bag in their hand they’re not likely to change their minds and buy one from you, now are they?

But then I stumbled upon something else that almost made me choke on my sandwich, and pushed carrier bag charges firmly into the bracket of first world problems, never to be given a second glance.

What caught my eye was a little article about the Taxpayers’ Alliance, who, during the Conservative party conference this week have been sharing their views on cuts they feel ministers should make.

Apparently our pensioners are fair game, and the chancellor should not hesitate to cut their benefits, such as winter fuel allowance, Christmas bonus and and free bus passes.

I have no issue with a group having an opinion on where the axe should fall, even if I don’t agree with their choices.

I can see how winter fuel allowance, for example, while being a huge boost to many pensioners faced with the choice of heat or eat, is small change to others, who arguably should not be receiving it in the first place. Maybe means testing is the way to go though, not cutting it off at the knees.

What I do object to, however, is the argument that it is OK to target these benefits because many of those hit might “not be around” at the next election, and even if they are they won’t remember who it was who took their benefits away.

The implication appears to be that we can upset you if we think you’re about to fall off your perch, but if you’re a “young” pensioner, for example may only be in your mid 70s by the next election, you might still be around to vote but your memory won’t be up to much.

What a lovely way of looking at our mums and dads. Not to mention those who might not qualify for those benefits yet, but perhaps were looking forward to this in five, ten or more years.

A few amongst our elders might forget under whose reign these ideas were first touted (and in what tone) – but there’s a whole generation, or two, who won’t.