Labour civil war over ‘betrayal’ as WASPI women denied compensation | Politics | News

Labour MPs have accused ministers within their own party of betraying the WASPI women after previously backing them in campaigns.

Rachael Maskell has described some MPs as being “in shock” while Diane Abbott accused the Government of breaking a promise made to 3.8million women.

The WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) campaign has been fighting for women born in the 1950s who were not properly informed about their state pension age being raised from 60 to 65 to equalise it with men.

The Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Chancellor Rachel Reeves were pictured backing the WASPIs from 2018-2020.

However, Sir Keir Starmer yesterday said taxpayers could not afford the £10.5billion payout and most of those affected knew of the change.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has said the UK Government’s refusal to pay anything to the women was “wrong”, adding that a compromise on money would be possible.

He added that the decision by Sir Keir Starmer and his team was “deeply disappointing”.

Mr Sarwar said: “A blanket no compensation position is the wrong one, and I am deeply disappointed about that.

“We could have looked at incremental payments, tapered payments, targeted support to those on the lowest incomes. That would have been a fairer way forward.

“Keir Starmer and Liz Kendall are in no doubt about what my view is and the scale of my disappointment.”

Speaking to STV News, he said: “I was one of the ones that campaigned with them, had photographs with them, I was right to do that, I was right to campaign with them.

“I continue to stand with them in the face of their injustice.”

The WASPI campaign was set up in 2015 in a bid to help those affected by the change in state pension age.

Campaigners say they agree with the equal retirement age between men and women and are not calling for a return to the former retirement age.

But they say they do not accept the unfair way the changes to the state pension age were implemented with “inadequate” or “no notice”.