A Scottish Labour MP has said he will vote against the UK Government on Women Against State Pension Age Inequality (Waspi) compensation.
Brian Leishman will back an opposition party’s motion to pay women impacted by changes to the state pension age if it comes to a vote.
Labour announced last month it would not follow the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman to spend billions of pounds compensating the women.
Leishman said: “I stood with the women when I was campaigning. I went to rallies and protests and demos. I spoke to so many Waspi women, not just from my constituency.
“I’m not changing my opinion. I did it as a candidate and I’ll be doing it as an MP. So if or when there’s an opposition debate on it that they bring to the chamber, I’ll be standing up and I’ll be voting in favour of Waspi women. And I’ll be urging Labour colleagues to join me in voting for justice for the women.”
A vote would have to be brought about by an opposition party using one of their allocated slots for a debate on the issue. Leishman said he had spoken to Lib Dems and was confident they would use one of days to force a vote.
The Alloa and Grangemouth MP said he was not concerned about being punished by his party for voting against the government. He said: “I don’t worry about repercussions from it because I think healthy internal debate within our own party is vital for internal democracy, but also the democracy of the country. You’ve got to then think about what’s right. We stood on it and a platform of it for years. We shouldn’t be changing our values now for it.”
Many Labour MPs, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, campaigned alongside Waspi women while they were in opposition.
Fellow Scottish Labour MP Elaine Stewart – who represents Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock – said at least some women deserve compensation. Paisley and Renfrewshire North MP Alison Taylor said “Waspi women should be fairly compensated where their individual circumstances or situation warrants it.”
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has also said some women should receive compensation. Leishman said he thinks some colleagues will also vote against the government’s decision.
He said: “I really hope that… there’s been many parliamentary colleagues across the Labour Party that have stood in solidarity with Waspi women and I hope that they still do that.”
The UK Government was approached for comment.
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