The Workers Party of Britain (WPB) London Branch expresses profound disappointment and condemnation following Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s recent statement rejecting compensation for women affected by the accelerated rise in the state pension age. This decision abandons the 3.6 million (WASPI) women born in the 1950s who have been unjustly deprived of their rightful pensions.
In 1995, the government legislated to equalize the state pension age for men and women, increasing women’s pension age from 60 to 65, with changes phased in between 2010 and 2020. The coalition government of 2010 expedited this process, bringing forward the qualifying age of 65 to 2018. Many affected women were not adequately informed, leading to significant financial hardship. The Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) campaign has tirelessly advocated for fair compensation, highlighting the government’s failure to provide sufficient notice.
Despite previous support from senior Labour figures, including Sir Keir Starmer’s 2022 pledge for “fair and fast compensation,” the current government has now dismissed these commitments. Prime Minister Starmer’s assertion that taxpayers “simply can’t afford the tens of billions of pounds” for compensation is a stark reversal from earlier promises and disregards the financial struggles faced by these women.
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman recommended compensation between £1,000 and £2,950 for each affected woman, acknowledging the government’s maladministration in delaying communication of these changes. The government’s refusal to act on this recommendation further exemplifies its disregard for the plight of these women.
The WPB London Branch stands in solidarity with the Waspi women and all those affected by this injustice. We call upon the government to honor its previous commitments and provide fair compensation to those who have been wronged. The Labour Party’s abandonment of these women is a betrayal of the working class and a deviation from its foundational principles of social justice and equality.
Workers Party of Britain – London Branch
