A LABOUR MP has vowed to lead a rebellion demanding justice for Waspi women – despite Keir Starmer rejecting plans to compensate them.
Brian Leishman, MP for Alloa and Grangemouth, plans to gather support from backbench colleagues in an effort to force the Government to change its stance.
He also claimed Labour risks betraying its election promise of change, only to then mimic the Tory government before it.
Leishman said: “For me, the campaign is not over. I and my parliamentary colleagues have to speak with one coherent, clear voice, take it to the leadership and say, ‘This is wrong.’
“A backbench MP has to make sure we provide that spine to the Parliamentary Labour Party. We have to hold them to account as well. That’s democracy.”
The Waspi – Women Against State Pension Inequality – campaign, with hundreds of branches and about 340,000 women in Scotland affected, also has support from Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.
He said Prime Minister Starmer – who previously backed the campaign but now says the Government can’t afford a bill of about £10billion– was wrong not to pay compensation.
Scottish MPs will have to decide whether to side with Sarwar or Starmer in the House of Commons in any future votes on the issue.
The women affected were born in the 50s and say they were not given enough notice about the retirement age rise – 60 to 66 – in 1995 and again in 2011.
Nine months ago a parliamentary ombudsman recommended they receive payment, citing “maladministration” of the changes.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves previously attended rallies with campaigners and revealed her own mother was affected, saying in 2016 the women had been done an injustice.
Leishman, who has campaigned alongside the Waspi women before becoming an MP in July, said: “This is an absolute injustice for millions of women from all over the UK.
“I understand the financial constraints the Government are operating under but the value of doing the right thing… it’s invaluable.
“Every 13 minutes a Waspi woman passes away. These women have not been able to plan for their retirement properly. It’s impacted their lives and their families. That’s an injustice that has to be corrected.
“The election was all about change. The Conservatives didn’t want to pay out to the Waspi women. Where’s the change in that?”
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond – sign up to our daily newsletterhere.