Starmer Defends Decision to Deny Compensation for Waspi Women Amid Backlash

[Social Media]

 

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has defended his government’s controversial decision not to compensate the Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi), stating that such payments would "burden" the taxpayer. The announcement has ignited widespread criticism, with some branding it a "day of shame" for the Labour government.  Others have condemed  Starmer by claiming its betrayal that proves Labour cynically said ANYTHING to get elected.

 

Just a reminder, @leicesterliz of what you promised.  Hard to see how your statement refusing #WASPI women justice today is a "fair solution".

Just a reminder, @leicesterliz of what you promised. Hard to see how your statement refusing #WASPI women justice today is a "fair solution". pic.twitter.com/v8Sm0gy8n3

— #WASPI Campaign (@WASPI_Campaign) December 17, 2024

 

Starmer acknowledged the frustrations of women affected by changes to their retirement age but maintained that meeting their demands would not be financially viable. "We understand their concerns, but we also have a duty to the wider taxpayer," he said. His comments followed an apology from Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall for a 28-month delay in notifying those born in the 1950s about the state pension changes.  

 

Kendall expressed regret for the communication failures but rejected calls for compensation. "The great majority of women knew the state pension age was increasing," she stated. "A state-funded pay-out wouldn’t be fair or good value for taxpayers' money."  

 

The decision has provoked outrage from opposition parties and advocacy groups. The Liberal Democrats denounced the announcement, accusing Labour of abandoning pension-aged women who were unfairly affected. "This is a day of shame. Millions of women who were wronged are being let down again," a party spokesperson said.  

 

The Waspi group has long argued that women born in the 1950s suffered financially because they were not given adequate warning to prepare for changes to their retirement age. Initially, legislation in the mid-1990s aimed to gradually equalize the retirement age for men and women over a decade. However, the timetable was accelerated under the coalition government as part of austerity measures, leaving many women unable to adjust their plans in time.  

 

Earlier this year, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) found that thousands of women had been adversely affected by failures to communicate the changes effectively. The PHSO recommended compensation ranging from £1,000 to £2,950 for those impacted. However, these recommendations were not legally binding, leaving the government with no obligation to act.  

 

Critics argue that the lack of compensation amounts to a dismissal of the hardship endured by millions of women. Advocates point to the financial instability and stress many have faced due to the unexpected delay in accessing their pensions.  

 

Despite the backlash, Starmer and Kendall remain firm in their stance, citing fiscal responsibility and fairness to taxpayers as primary concerns. For the Waspi women, however, the decision represents yet another setback in their ongoing fight for justice.

 

Based on a report by Sky News 2024-12-19

 

 

 

[RichardColeman]

Another U turn to get elected. He and his Liebour cabinet were all saying they would make sure all the women were compensated prior to the election. It's about time ALL parties were liable for keeping their promises to the electorate or at least suable for breach of trust and bribery for not keeping their promise

[jippytum]

Personslly i don't think these women should be compensated.

However this is a complete u turn by Starmer.

  Yesterday i watched a vidio report on UKTv that shows Starmer voicing criticism at the Tory government pre election for not paying WASPI compensation and stating Labour if elected would correct this. 

[herfiehandbag]

Lying bastard! 

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

Another U turn to get elected. He and his Liebour cabinet were all saying they would make sure all the women were compensated prior to the election. It's about time ALL parties were liable for keeping their promises to the electorate or at least suable for breach of trust and bribery for not keeping their promise

It’s only a U-Turn if it’s a retreat from a Manifesto pledge or a policy that is announced while in Government.

 

It’s not a U-Turn.

[mikeymike100]

18 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

Lying bastard! 

Quite so, most politicians are, but Starmer just takes the biscuit!

[JonnyF]

Funny how women only want equality when it benefits them. 😆

 

Equality of retirement age? Not so much.. We'll have equal pay and equal rights but still retire earlier thanks. 

 

Having said that, Starmer should keep his word. But we all know he is a habitual liar who will say ANYTHING to get elected and then go back on it. No wonder he is the most disliked man in Britain. 

[Bkk Brian]

All these U Turns, surely he's going to keel over soon.......

 

All of Starmer’s ‘betrayals’ and U-turns as Labour faces Waspi women backlash

Sir Keir Starmer is facing yet another backlash after U-turning on his support for women affected by changes to the state pension age.

As leader of the opposition, he promised to “do something about it”, saying he understood the plight of those who had planned for retirement only to have “the goalposts moved”.

But, in a familiar change of tune since becoming prime minister, Sir Keir on Monday sent his work and pensions secretary out to tell Women Against State Pension Inequality, Waspi women, they would not be getting any compensation.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/starmer-waspi-labour-fuel-tax-b2666452.html

[thaibeachlovers]

10 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Funny how women only want equality when it benefits them. 😆

 

Equality of retirement age? Not so much.. We'll have equal pay and equal rights but still retire earlier thanks. 

 

Having said that, Starmer should keep his word. But we all know he is a habitual liar who will say ANYTHING to get elected and then go back on it. No wonder he is the most disliked man in Britain. 

I blame the tories for being so pants that Starmer was even considered as electable.

It was the tories to lose and they did that really well. One could almost believe they wanted him in to be blamed for the disaster they created, and a shoo in next election if Starmer is still PM.

[JonnyF]

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I blame the tories for being so pants that Starmer was even considered as electable.

It was the tories to lose and they did that really well. One could almost believe they wanted him in to be blamed for the disaster they created, and a shoo in next election if Starmer is still PM.

 

Yes they got complacent and betrayed their principles. They have a lot to answer for, Starmer will cause Britain incredible damage during his single term. 

[The Cyclist]

1 minute ago, JonnyF said:

They have a lot to answer for, Starmer will cause Britain incredible damage during his single term. 

 

Single term ?
 

He will be gone within 12 months.

 

 

 

Starmers televised interviews with the Waspi's are now making it back into the media.

[Chomper Higgot]

24 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Funny how women only want equality when it benefits them. 😆

 

Equality of retirement age? Not so much.. We'll have equal pay and equal rights but still retire earlier thanks. 

 

Having said that, Starmer should keep his word. But we all know he is a habitual liar who will say ANYTHING to get elected and then go back on it. No wonder he is the most disliked man in Britain. 

It’s odd to use the term ‘Women Against State Pension Inequality’ in a campaign for compensation for the outcome of having unequal State pension rights removed.

 

 The complaint that many lost out because they stopped working before pension age is bizarre.

 

Starmer and Labour were elected on the basis of the Labour Party Manifesto, which makes no mention of this issue.

 

And we can’t have him being flush with ‘other people’s money’ can we?!

 

[JonnyF]

Just now, The Cyclist said:

 

Single term ?
 

He will be gone within 12 months.

 

 

 

Starmers televised interviews with the Waspi's are now making it back into the media.

 

I hope you are right, but Starmer has no morals and no shame, I think he might actually have Antisocial Personality Disorder. There is no way he will resign, and none of the Labour party have any backbone or morality so it will be very difficult to remove him.

 

Interesting that Cooper has the same smug, self satisfied, #bekind expression as in the #refugeeswelcome picture. All while knowing Starmer wouldn't honour the promise. 

 

Truly awful people.

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

14 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I blame the tories for being so pants that Starmer was even considered as electable.

It was the tories to lose and they did that really well. One could almost believe they wanted him in to be blamed for the disaster they created, and a shoo in next election if Starmer is still PM.

Well they certainly bear some responsibility for the root cause of this grievance, as do the LibDems:

 

“However, the timetable was accelerated under the coalition government as part of austerity measures, leaving many women unable to adjust their plans in time. “

[Chomper Higgot]

3 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

I hope you are right, but Starmer has no morals and no shame, I think he might actually have Antisocial Personality Disorder. There is no way he will resign, and none of the Labour party have any backbone or morality so it will be very difficult to remove him.

 

Interesting that Cooper has the same smug, self satisfied, #bekind expression as in the #refugeeswelcome picture. All while knowing Starmer wouldn't honour the promise. 

 

Truly awful people.

 

 

That thing you have of posting off topic refugee/immigrant stuff got the better of you again.

[JonnyF]

12 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It’s odd to use the term ‘Women Against State Pension Inequality’ in a campaign for compensation for the outcome of having unequal State pension rights removed.

 

 The complaint that many lost out because they stopped working before pension age is bizarre.

 

Starmer and Labour were elected on the basis of the Labour Party Manifesto, which makes no mention of this issue.

 

And we can’t have him being flush with ‘other people’s money’ can we?!

 

 

He clearly misled them.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gj5r3d71ko

 

 

He has lost all credibility. 

 

Just like those who defend his every move. 

[JonnyF]

8 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

That thing you have of posting off topic refugee/immigrant stuff got the better of you again.

 

It appears to be you focusing on refugees.

 

My point was about Cooper's smug, self satisfied grin as she pretends to be a nice person while stabbing people like the WASPI women in the back. 

 

[The Cyclist]

1 minute ago, JonnyF said:

He has lost all credibility. 

 

What Credibilty ? He never had any to lose.

 

 

 

https://labourlist.org/2024/12/women-state-pension-age-waspi-increase-labour-mps-vote/

[JonnyF]

Just now, The Cyclist said:

What Credibilty ? He never had any to lose.

 

True. 

 

But some people were at least pretending to find him credible.

 

Even Abbott has realized it's a fools errand and turned on him now. 😃

[mfd101]

Interesting how people find it hard to cope with population statistics & economic realities. The French are outraged that anyone could suggest raising the retirement age to 64!

 

Meantime in countries where people are better educated (by politicians) about these things - I'm thinking Oz, for example - the retirement age is already at 68 and heading to 70.

[Chomper Higgot]

14 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

He clearly misled them.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gj5r3d71ko

 

 

He has lost all credibility. 

 

Just like those who defend his every move. 

What was in the Manifesto on which Labour were elected?

 

 

[James105]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It’s only a U-Turn if it’s a retreat from a Manifesto pledge or a policy that is announced while in Government.

 

It’s not a U-Turn.

 

It's the lies upon lies upon lies thats the problem.   Just about every cabinet minister promised that they would compensate these women, only to turn around and deny them once in government.   Cancelling overseas climate aid could easily fund this if they wanted to, or instead of spaffing £22bn on unproven carbon capture they could use the much cheaper and proven method of planting trees.   

 

Not paying them compensation is actually the right thing to do as 25 years was more than enough notice to address an equality imbalance, but just like everything else they touch in government it has once again made them look like the moronic lying clowns that they are.   

[Bkk Brian]

22 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

He clearly misled them.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gj5r3d71ko

 

 

He has lost all credibility. 

 

Just like those who defend his every move. 

Yep, mislead to get elected.

 

Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of betraying women affected by changes to the state pension age after using them to get elected.

The prime minister came under fire on Wednesday after work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall rejected calls for 3.8m affected individuals to be given £1,000 and £2,950 each in compensation.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/waspi-starmer-labour-state-pension-compensation-b2666263.html

[JonnyF]

3 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

What was in the Manifesto on which Labour were elected?

 

 

 

Do you think these women who have been lied to care whether he put it in the manifesto or not? It's clear he didn't put it in there because he knew that he was lying and had no intention of backing up his words. He lied, and everyone can now see his lies.

 

Just like he did with the pensioners. He tricked them.  

 

You probably think that was very clever. I disagree. The guy has lost all trust and now has zero credibility. 

[roquefort]

19 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

What was in the Manifesto on which Labour were elected?

 

 

Oh, so they can tell all the bare-faced lies they want as long as they're not in the manifesto?

What a bizarre view of political integrity.

[The Cyclist]

13 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of betraying women affected by changes to the state pension age after using them to get elected.

 

That is a false accusation 😀😀

 

Starmer does not know what a woman is, according to the prat, anyone can have a cervix.

 

I' just wonderering what the UK stats are for men being treated for cervical cancer 😀😀

[JonnyF]

1 hour ago, The Cyclist said:

 

That is a false accusation 😀😀

 

Starmer does not know what a woman is, according to the prat, anyone can have a cervix.

 

I' just wonderering what the UK stats are for men being treated for cervical cancer 😀😀

 

Nobody takes him seriously. He's become a butt of jokes. A comedy figure. 

 

Even the song mocking him by the band "Sir Starmer and the granny harmers" is topping the download charts. 😆

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14204983/charity-song-mocking-Keir-Starmer-tops-download-charts.html

 

 

I wonder if he'll try to lock them up for a "hate crime"? 😆

[The Cyclist]

13 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Nobody takes him seriously. He's become a butt of jokes. A comedy figure. 

 

Even the song mocking him by the band "Sir Starmer and the granny harmers" is topping the download charts. 😆

 

This one 😀😀