London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The British Prime Minister is under pressure to allow parliamentarians to vote on the decision to reject compensation for women impacted by state pension age changes.
Number 10 rejected calls for a vote, stating MPs had already had the opportunity to express their opinions on Tuesday.
Amid growing criticism in the House of Commons, Keir Starmer insisted the £10.5 billion compensation package was unaffordable for taxpayers and refused calls for a vote on the decision.
When Labour was in opposition, prominent leaders including Sir Starmer, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, and Pensions Minister Liz Kendall were among those who favoured the Women Against State Pension Inequality campaign.
During Sir Starmer’s answer questions session, the prime minister argued that compensating WASPI women was not affordable when Plaid Cymru MP Ben Lake asked if denying the package was part of his “Government of change.”
The Independent reports that Sir Keir Starmer called the delays in communicating state pension age changes to women born in the 1950s “unacceptable,” while also criticizing former Chancellor George Osborne for fast-tracking the reforms.
Sir Keir Starmer stated,
“It is a serious issue. It is a complex issue. The research, as he knows, shows that 90% of those impacted knew about the changes that were taking place.”
He added,
“I am afraid to say the taxpayers simply cannot afford the tens of billions of pounds in compensation when the evidence does show that 90% of those impacted did know about it. That is because of the state of our economy.”
Independent MP for Liverpool West Derby, Ian Byrne, stated that Waspi women had suffered an “injustice” inflicted on them by the state.
He asked Sir Starmer,
“Will he allow members to vote on whether they believe Waspi women are owed compensation?”
In response, the prime minister stated,
“I just set out the factual background and the percentage that knew about the change, and the simple fact of the matter is, in the current economic circumstances, the taxpayer can’t bear the burden of tens of billions of pounds in compensation.”
Speaking to the press, Chancellor Reeves expressed sympathy for the Waspi women’s frustration but argued that compensation would be unfair and expressed the need to carefully spend taxpayer’s money.
She appeared in a 2020 picture with Waspi women, pledging on a placard to collaborate with them for a “fair solution.”
The Waspi campaign group argues that 3.6 million women born in the 1950s were not properly informed about the rise in the state pension age, which was raised to equal that of men.
According to the watchdog, the women should receive up to £2,950 each, with the total package potentially costing £10.5 billion, due to poor communication that hindered their retirement planning.
Secretary of Work and Pension, Liz Kendall rejected the suggestion on Tuesday, despite the government’s apology for the 2 years and four months delay in contacting the women.
The Labour government, under Jeremy Corbyn, promised to provide compensation for the Waspi women.
An All-party parliamentary group on state pension inequality gathered on Wednesday to discuss further steps.
Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s Westminster leader, condemned the current government for posing with Waspi women before the election and then leaving them “high and dry” once in government, as the SNP urged for a parliamentary vote on compensation.