The Labour Government’s decision not to compensate the Waspi women is “deeply disappointing”, Anas Sarwar has said.
The Scottish Labour leader said the decision not to compensate any women born in the 50s who were not aware of changes to the state pension age was “the wrong one”. He added that those affected had “justified frustration” against his party’s government.
UK Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall announced on Tuesday there will be no compensation for the Waspi women. It comes after leading Labour figures – including Sarwar, Kendall and Prime Minister Keir Starmer – had previously supported the women impacted.
Sarwar told STV News: “I can completely understand, and I believe 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. I think where there is justified frustration is in the blanket no compensation position.”
He said the UK Government had been bogged down in “technical arguments” about what had happened at the Department for Work and Pensions and the Ombudsman report which found maladministration in its handling of the issue.
He continued: “Yes, they’re owed an apology, something that the UK Labour Government has recognised, but I think a blanket no compensation position is the wrong one and I’m deeply disappointed by that. I think we could have found a way forward that recognised the difficult public finances, that recognised the difficult inheritance.”
He said the Government could have instituted a system of “tapered” payments, or offered support to the worst off of those impacted. The SNP challenged Sarwar to meet the Waspi women tomorrow outside the Scottish Parliament.
MSP Clare Haughey said: “After finally breaking cover, Anas Sarwar must take ownership of the UK Labour government’s decision not to compensate the WASPI women. He is the branch officer of Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party in Scotland and this decision lies squarely at Labour’s door.
“Anas Sarwar must outline what, if any, representations he has made to his bosses in Westminster, including Sir Keir Stamer and Rachel Reeves, on behalf of these pensioners. The Labour Party promised change – and this is not the change that Scottish pensioners deserve.
“Tomorrow, Scottish WASPI women are expected to meet outside of the Scottish Parliament. Anas Sarwar should have the decency to show up and answer for Labour’s failures to those Scottish female pensioners who he and his party has wronged. SNP MSPs will be there showing our steadfast support for the WASPI women, as we have done for nearly a decade.”
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