In Parliament

I was able to speak in the debate in Parliament today compensation for WASPI women (Women Against State Pension Inequality).

Women born in the 1950s were not properly informed of the rise in their state pension age. Like others, I believe these women should be compensated by the UK Government.

The battle of the WASPI women is not my battle or lived experience—it is the battle and the lived experience of the women themselves. With that in mind, earlier today, I spoke to my constituent Liz, who was born in 1953. I know Liz in her capacity as a volunteer at a community hub in Springburn for a charity of which I am a trustee. However, I met Liz late last year, unexpectedly, outside the Scottish Parliament when she came to Holyrood as a WASPI campaigner. Along with many other women, Liz was there to let MSPs know of the very real anger that is felt by WASPI women because of the betrayal by the UK Labour Government.

In the months and years before the UK election, Labour had been absolutely clear that it supported the cause of WASPI women. The party agreed that women who were born in the 1950s who were not appropriately informed of changes to pensions entitlement and who had suffered financially and in other ways should be compensated. After all, that is what the independent ombudsman decided should happen.

As we all know, Labour has since abandoned WASPI women. I mentioned the anger felt by Liz and others towards Labour and Liz told me, “I honestly believed that Labour would do something about this. Keir Starmer and Liz Kendall got their photograph with WASPI women, and now they have turned the tables and are doing nothing. They have turned their cheek.”

Liz was actually very measured when speaking to me. Yes, there was anger, but there was also a dignified and steely determination to continue with the campaign and to secure justice. I have to say that she was actually more worried about others than she was about herself.

UK Government maladministration has caused many WASPI women financial detriment and has undermined the wellbeing of many of them. For much of her working life, Liz held down three jobs, juggling hours to ensure that she was financially independent. If she had been appropriately informed, in a meaningful way—I will come back to that—in all likelihood, she would have made different decisions regarding her finances and her life choices.

Liz thinks that she might have received one letter, perhaps in 2012. If so, it was a brief letter—a few lines with no context, no explanation, no advice on what to do next or how to get appropriate information, and no enclosed leaflet with further details. Liz told me that, at the time, she thought that the letter might have been a scam.

She said to me that she feels that the fight has been going on for years, but she became aware of the campaign just a few years ago and joined the campaign group online. Liz said, “I became far more active last year in campaigning at Westminster and now at Holyrood.” She also said: “Why is the ombudsman there if the UK Government can just ignore it?” Importantly, Liz said, “We didn’t expect to get everything, but we did expect to get something.”

She went on to look at solutions, such as whether WASPI women could get a small supplement to their pension paid to them each month. I do not know whether that would be the right thing to do, but finding solutions is important. However, it should not be up to the WASPI women to have to do that—it should be up to the UK Government.

Does Labour still believe that women should be compensated, but think that the public finances make that challenging? If so, let us look at solutions together. Alternatively, does Labour no longer believe in compensating WASPI women? Liz was concerned about the increasing number of women dying without getting justice. If anyone in Labour still believes in compensating WASPI women, they must act swiftly.

Finally, I offer my heartfelt thanks to Liz for sharing her story and views ahead of the debate. I said that this was her battle—it is actually a battle for us all, but it is her lived experience. I give the final word to Liz once more. Earlier this afternoon, she told me that, “We are all very angry and we are all ready for a fight.”