STEPHEN Flynn has called on the UK Government to ensure MPs can vote on his bill which would deliver compensation for Waspi women as it comes before the Commons on Friday.
The SNP Westminster leader’s private member’s bill is one of 33 which MPs are being asked to consider – 20 of which are from the Tory MP Christopher Chope. Flynn's bill is currently 10th in the running order, with three of Chope's bills ahead of it.
There is unlikely to be time for all of them to be discussed or voted upon, and Flynn has called for the Labour Government to ensure his bill is not missed by proxy.
The SNP highlighted that the UK Government is responsible for parliamentary business and said “there are fears Keir Starmer could block compensation for Waspi women by deliberately failing to provide adequate time for a vote on the bill, despite support across every party in parliament”.
Waspi campaigners – women against state pension inequality – have been calling for the UK Government to heed to findings of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO), which in March last year recommended compensation of between £1000 and £2950 per person for women born in the 1950s affected by increases to the state pension age which were not communicated adequately.
Labour have accepted that there was maladministration by the UK Government, but refused to pay any compensation in a move which prompted accusations of betrayal given top ministers’ pledges before the General Election.
Even now-Prime Minister Keir Starmer had signed a pledge to deliver "fair and fast compensation" for Waspi women, while Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: “The UK government failed women born in the 1950s. They stole their pensions. We've said we'll right that injustice. Within the five years of a Labour government, we will compensate them for the money that they've lost.”
Flynn said: "With the WASPI compensation bill due before parliament today, it is essential that the Labour Government ensures adequate parliamentary time so that MPs can vote to pass this bill and give WASPI women the fair and fast compensation they deserve.
"Ahead of the UK election, the Labour Party promised WASPI women they would get financial compensation, only to break that promise as soon as they got into power.
"This bill is the opportunity to finally make good on that promise. The ball is now in the Labour Government's court. Keir Starmer must not block WASPI compensation by deliberately denying adequate parliamentary time for the passage of this bill.
"Over 330,000 women in Scotland have been negatively impacted by the injustice of the UK government's decision to raise the state pension age for women born in the 1950s. I urge Anas Sarwar, and Scottish Labour MPs, to join with the SNP in backing the bill to finally deliver compensation, instead of betraying these women yet again.
"Labour Party politicians lined up to have their photos taken with WASPI women ahead of the election only to turn their backs as soon as they got their feet in the door – the SNP will never give up the fight for justice and will back WASPI campaigners until fairness is delivered.”
In January, MPs voted by 105 to 0 to pass Flynn’s Waspi compensation bill at the first reading. The Labour Government whipped its MPs to abstain.
Scottish Labour MP Brian Leishman backed the bill, as did nine other Labour MPs: Jonathan Brash (Hartlepool), Julia Buckley (Shrewsbury), Neil Duncan-Jordan (Poole), Chris Hinchliff (North East Hertfordshire), Terry Jermy (South West Norfolk), Emma Lewell-Buck (South Shields), Melanie Onn (Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes), Jon Trickett (Normanton and Hemsworth) and Steve Witherden (Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr).
