WESTMINSTER has blocked Stephen Flynn’s Waspi compensation bill from being given a second reading.
The SNP Westminster leader had attempted to force the UK Government to set up a compensation scheme for women born in the 1950s, whose state pension age was raised so it would be equal with men.
Last December, the UK Government ruled out a scheme, despite a report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) had recommended they do so.
This is despite Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves being among the senior ministers to support the Waspi campaign when Labour was in opposition.
The watchdog also said the women should be paid up to £2950 each, a package with a potential total cost of £10.5 billion to the public purse, as poor communication meant they had lost out on the chance to plan their retirement finances.
The Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) group is currently seeking a judicial review to force the UK Government to reconsider its decision to rule out a compensation package.
Flynn’s Women’s State Pension Age (Ombudsman Report and Compensation Scheme) Bill passed first reading with 105 Ayes and 0 Noes.
The UK Government would have had to have set up a compensation scheme within three months of the legislation passing, but it will now not move forward.
The SNP Westminster leader put forward the legislation as a private members bill, under the ten minute rule system. Legislation put forward in this way is less likely to move forward, particularly if it does not have majority support.
Speaking after the House of Commons confirmed the Bill would not progress to the next stage, Flynn said: "This week's chaos showed this Labour Government will change course under pressure - that is something the SNP will never let up on and it's time Labour Party MPs stood by their promises and backed this Bill. That's the very least the Waspi women deserve.
"Sir Keir Starmer promised to compensate the Waspi women with Labour Party politicians lined up behind WASPI placards and pledges, only to sit in their hands when they could actually do something about it – it’s no wonder so many have lost faith in the Westminster political establishment.
"Yesterday's debate saw some Labour MPs make clear compensation is the right way forward – of course that is welcome, but that was the Labour Party’s pledge and far, far more of them need to stand up and be counted.
“An independent Scotland would create a fair pension system that doesn’t betray women like Westminster has, but until that day, SNP MPs will never give up the fight for Waspi women – it’s time Labour MPs did the same."
We previously told how Long Bailey told MPs on Thursday that the arguments against compensation for 1950s-born women are “bizarre” and akin to those made by people who believe the Earth is flat.
Long Bailey was backed by other Labour backbenchers, as well as SNP, Tory, LibDems, Green and independent MPs.
