Anas Sarwar: Government wrong not to compensate Waspi women

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has voiced his opposition to the government’s decision not to compensate the Waspi women.

Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) says 3.6 million women born in the 1950s were not properly informed of the rise in state pension age to bring them into line with men.

Earlier this week, the Labour government at Westminster confirmed the women would not receive any compensation, despite a parliamentary ombudsman recommending compensation of between £1,000 and £2,950 for the women. 

Asked by the BBC whether he supported the government’s decision, Sarwar said: “I think they're right in the apology, I think they're right in recognising injustice, I think they're wrong on the compensation.”

He said ministers could have looked at some form of “targeted” or “tapered” support, adding that ministers could have arrived at “a fairer compromise”.

Asked about the matter at Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the taxpayer could not afford the compensation given the state of the public finances.

While Labour did not commit to compensation in its manifesto, high-profile figures in the party have previously backed the Waspi women’s campaign.

First Minister John Swinney said the UK government's decision was a “serious embarrassment” for Scottish Labour.

Responding to Sarwar, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn tweeted: “Labour's Branch Office Manager in Scotland helpfully confirming, once again, that he holds no sway over Labour in London.”

Sarwar has previously found himself at odds with the new Labour government in Westminster over its decision to scrap the winter fuel payment for millions of pensioners and to the retain the two-child benefit cap.