The SNP are set to table a Bill in the Commons demanding compensation for around 3.5million WASPI women after the Government rejected a watchdog’s recommendations
Keir Starmer could face a rebellion over the WASPI scandal in the Commons next week.
The SNP last night said it would force a vote on the Government’s decision not to award compensation to 3.5million 1950s-born women. It comes as campaign leaders said they had been “airbrushed out of history” – but vowed to fight on.
Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s Westminster leader, said he would put forward a Bill demanding the Government pays compensation of up to £2,950 after ministers refused to do so. The PM is under pressure to U-turn after rejecting a Westminster watchdog’s call for payouts because of maladministration at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Mr Flynn said: “I am pleased that the SNP WASPI compensation bill already has cross-party support from MPs of all the main parties – but, with a supermajority in parliament, what matters now is how Labour MPs choose to vote.”
It comes after the Scottish Parliament unanimously voted for compensation to be awarded. Mr Starmer faces anger from Labour backbenchers after announcing women who were not properly informed the state pension age was rising would not get compensation. This was despite the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman saying they should in a bombshell report last March.
Failings at the DWP meant victims were unable to plan for their retirement. Debbie de Spon, WASPI’s communication director, told the Commons Work and Pensions Committee on Wednesday: “We feel disempowered, we’re being airbrushed out of history. It hasn’t been resolved as far as WASPI women are concerned.”
She said the group would continue to take legal advice after the “nasty shock” announcement – adding: “We haven’t got over it yet.” WASPI chairwoman Angela Madden, who stopped working early in order to care for her seriously ill mother, said: “There are some people that perhaps had to sell their houses and move into rented accommodation.
“We’ve heard of some women housesharing with strangers, we certainly didn’t expect to do that at this stage of our lives. Women have been impoverished by the way we’ve been treated.”
A compensation package as recommended by the ombudsman would cost the Treasury between £3.5billion and £10.5 billion. Last week a Labour minister was jeered as he defended the Government’s WASPI compensation snub – claiming the “biggest betrayal of the older generation” is the state of the NHS.
Torsten Bell faced fury as he claimed a tailored compensation scheme “wasn’t a viable option”. Pensions Minister Mr Bell, who had been in post for just 24 hours, was met with groans as he said: “The vast majority of women knew the state pension age was increasing. Sending letters earlier wouldn’t have made a difference.”
