Labour betrayal to WASPI women complete

Today the Labour Party in Westminster have rubber stamped their betrayal of WASPI women.

What a disgrace.

This action confirms that both Keir Starmer and Anas Sarwar cynically lied to the WASPI women to win votes at the last general election in 2024. This morning, in a statement in the House of Commons, Pat McFadden MP confirmed the UK Labour Government would continue to betray its promise of compensation to the WASPI women.

While in Opposition, virtually every single senior Labour politician from Sir Keir Starmer to Angela Rayner committed to WASPI justice while Scottish Labour figures including Anas Sarwar and Ian Murray were also unequivocal in their support. Labour Party politicians lined up behind WASPI placards and pledges, only to sit on their hands when they could actually do something about it, using economic circumstances as an excuse. Meanwhile they can find money for policies not in their election manifesto - it’s no wonder so many have lost faith in the Westminster political establishment.

Over 4,000 WASPI women in Scotland born in the 1950s, aged 60-66 have died since the end of 2020. This means more than two women have died every day before reaching 66 and before receiving a single penny of compensation for the injustice they endured from the inadequate notice given of the raising of their pension age.

Having backed the WASPI women from the start, spoken in the council chamber in support of their rightful campaign for compensation I will not forget the blatant broken promise from Keir Starmer’s Labour Party at May’s Holyrood election, and I doubt the electorate will either.

It is my firm view that WASPI women deserve so much better - they deserve fair and fast compensation, as recommended by the parliamentary ombudsman. Whilst we do not have the power (pensions are reserved) I, and the SNP will keep to our principled position and concrete commitment in support of the WASPI women and will hold Westminster to account until these women receive the justice they deserve.