Sir Keir Starmer has been left bracing for a mass Labour mutiny after his Labour Government ruled out spending £10billion compensating Waspi women.
Up to 100 Labour MPs could vote against this week’s announcement after the Prime Minister denied MPs a vote on the issue and told the Commons that taxpayers could not afford the eye-watering compensation costs.
The Liberal Democrats have reportedly been mobilising to press Starmer to hold a vote on the matter and could even look to hold either a backbench debate or opposition day motion to force the Prime Minister to confront dissent from his own backbenchers.
A number of frontbench Labour bigwigs, including Work & Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, previously demanded retribution for the “injustice” facing Waspi women.
‘It’s a betrayal!’ Starmer faces mass Labour mutiny as 100 MPs plot revolt over Waspi snub
PA
Confronting Starmer at Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday, ex-Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott said: “The Waspi women fought one of the most sustained and passionate campaigns for justice that I can remember, year in year out, and we did promise them that we would give them justice. I understand the issue of the cost, but does the Prime Minister really understand how let down they feel today?”
Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne, who had the whip suspended after voting for an SNP amendment to end the two-child benefit cap, also put pressure on the Prime Minister after requesting a Commons vote.
South West Norfolk MP Terry Jermy, Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash and Liverpool Riverside MP Kim Johnson have all called on Kendall to rethink her position on Waspi compensation.
Ex-Shadow Business Secretary Jon Trickett simply said: “The word ‘betrayal’ was repeatedly used by Waspi women to me yesterday.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Former Shadow Employment Rights Minister added: “The Government has made the wrong decision.”
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, who already broke ranks with Starmer over Winter Fuel Payments, separately voiced his continued support for Waspi women.
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman previously recommended that the Government pay compensation to women born in the 1950s whose state pension age was raised so it would be equal to men.
The watchdog said the women should be paid up to £2,950 each as poor communication meant they had lost out on the chance to plan their retirement finances.
The potential total number of women who missed out is estimated to sit at around 3.5 million if you include every woman born in the 1950s.
However, the Prime Minister claimed that research indicates “that 90 per cent of those impacted knew about the changes that were taking place”.
Angela Madden, chairwoman of Waspi, responded to Starmer’s suggestion with fury.
She said: “This isn’t just misleading; it’s an insult to millions of 1950s-born women who were blindsided by these changes.
“The ombudsman’s findings were based on rigorous evidence showing that 60 per cent of women had no idea their own state pension age was rising.
“The Government’s attempt to cherry-pick data to suggest otherwise is spreading dangerous misinformation, plain and simple.”
Downing Street said the Prime Minister would not accept the suggestion he had “misled” Waspi campaigners, adding the decision had not “been taken lightly”.
