LABOUR have been slammed for appearing to rule out any compensation for Waspi women in a “deeply disappointing” move.
It comes after women hit by the rise in the state pension previously said they are not confident of a future government payout due to a lack of commitment to do so from the Tories or Labour.
This is despite the release of a report in March which stated that women born in the 1950s hit by the state pension age change are owed compensation and the government should “do the right thing”.
It suggested women should receive a payout of between £1000 and £2950.
Speaking to Radio 4’s Today programme, Labour’s shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth was told any new government would face “significant compensation demands,” including for those impacted by the infected blood scandal, Windrush or Waspi women.
Pressed on whether or not these demands were part of any future Labour government’s plans, Ashworth said: “We know that we are inheriting a set of public finances that are shot to pieces after 14 years of failure under the Conservatives.
“That’s partly because of the chronically low debilitating growth levels we’ve had under the Conservatives and it’s also because of the disastrous decisions that the Conservatives took with Liz Truss.
“So we’re under no illusions about how difficult any inheritance would be should we be fortunate enough to form a government.”
On the infected blood scandal, Ashworth said his party had budgeted for a compensation package for victims.
“The infected blood scandal is a scandal in the true sense of the term. It is heartbreaking for people affected and the wider families who have been impacted,” he said.
However, he added: “We are not going to make promises we cannot keep or commitments which are unfunded.
“That is what the Conservative Party are doing in this election campaign with a multi-billion pound manifesto that can only be paid for by extra borrowing, putting up people’s mortgages.”
Pressed on having to compensate Windrush and Waspi victims, Ashworth dodged the question and returned to speaking about the infected blood scandal.
Reacting to the interview on Twitter, the SNP’s John Nicolson (below) said: “Labour’s shadow paymaster general appears to rule out compensation for the #WASPI women calling it ‘unfunded’.
“More deeply disappointing behaviour from Labour.”
The SNP’s candidate for North Ayrshire and Arran Patricia Gibson also hit out at Labour saying it was confirmation of the party’s “bitter betrayal of Waspi women”.
“For years, the Tories have failed to deliver justice and compensation for these women and now – with power in sight – the Labour Party are confirming they will repeat the exact same betrayal,” she said.
“For years, Labour party representatives made promise after promise to deliver justice for these women. However, now that ministerial desks at Downing Street are within their grasp, the Labour Party have deliberately decided those previous promises and these wronged women don’t matter to them anymore.
"Betrayed first by the Tories and now betrayed by the Labour Party, the injustice faced by the Waspi women is a telling demonstration of how Westminster treats the victims of its scandals.
"Waspi women deserve so much better, they deserve fair and fast compensation. SNP MPs will keep to our principled position and concrete commitment in support of the Waspi women and will hold the incoming Labour government to account until these women receive the justice they deserve."
It’s not the first time Labour have come in for criticism on the issue with shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves (above) previously saying she had no plans for compensation payments.
Speaking at a campaign event in May however, Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney said the SNP would stand “shoulder-to-shoulder” with Waspi women to “get justice now”.
