I’m pleased to have backed a cross-party move calling on the UK Government to compensate women affected by State Pension age changes as quickly as possible.
A letter was sent to Work and Pensions Secretary, Pat McFadden, on signed by 100 MPs across 10 different parties ahead of the UK Government’s announcement on its reconsideration of its position on compensating WASPI women which is due by the end of February.
Senior Labour and Conservative figures joined forces with the SNP, DUP, Green and Liberal Democrat MPs as part of fresh demands on Ministers to “reach the right decision” and set out plans to compensate affected women as quickly as possible.
We are all in agreement that ministers should review the case again, as they did with Winter Fuel Payments, Personal Independence Payments, and inheritance tax relief on agricultural properties.
More than 50,000 people have also written directly to their MPs in support of compensation in just two weeks – the equivalent of one letter every 30 seconds. WASPI campaigners are calling on the Government to bring compensation proposals before Parliament as quickly as possible.
As far as I am concerned, women born in the 1950s have suffered a clear injustice. They were denied the opportunity to make alternative plans for their retirement and still suffer the consequences today.
I urge the UK Government to come to the right conclusion for WASPI women living in the North-east and across the country, and to finally deliver the compensation they are due.
