Frustration over ‘deeply disappointing’ Waspi decision justified, says Sarwar
The UK Government’s decision has drawn criticism from across the political spectrum.
Frustration from Waspi women over the “deeply disappointing” decision of the UK Government not to offer compensation is justified, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has said.
UK Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall announced on Tuesday there will be no compensation for women born in the 50s who were not aware of changes to the state pension age.
The move was immediately criticised from all sides, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer – who has supported compensation for the women impacted – accused of betraying the cause.
The issue is also the first major rift between Labour north and south of the border, with Mr Sarwar putting more space between the two parties on the issue on Wednesday.
Speaking to STV News, Mr Sarwar said: “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.”
The UK Government, Mr Sarwar said, 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.
Speaking in the Commons on Tuesday, Ms Kendall said: “These two facts: that most women knew the state pension age was increasing and that letters aren’t as significant as the Ombudsman says, as well as other reasons, have informed our conclusion that there should be no scheme of financial compensation to 1950s-born women, in response to the Ombudsman’s report.”
She added: “The alternative put forward in the report is for a flat-rate compensation scheme, at level four of the Ombudsman’s scale of injustice, this would provide £1,000 to £2,950 per person at a total cost of between £3.5 billion and £10.5 billion.
“Given the vast majority of women knew the state pension age was increasing, the Government does not believe paying a flat rate to all women at a cost of up to £10.5 billion would be fair or proportionate to taxpayers.”
