A SCOTTISH Labour MSP was grilled on a former pledge from his party’s leader for Waspi women to “finally receive the justice they deserved”.
It comes after the Labour Government announced it would not pay any compensation to Waspi women in a statement from Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall on Tuesday.
This is despite the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) recommending compensation of between £1000 and £2950 per person.
Speaking to the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme, Labour MSP for West Scotland Paul O'Kane was grilled on pledges made from him and Anas Sarwar (below).
Host Gary Robertson read out a statement made by O’Kane at a debate in Holyrood in May in which he said: “Labour is very clear. We support the principles contained in the PHSO report which includes the principle that we must compensate these women.”
Asked why he had changed his mind, O’Kane said he did stand by his view that there should be a form of compensation and that the UK Government should go further.
“I do think we could do more, particularly for the poorest women who’ve been impacted,” he said.
“So I think what yesterday was about was absolutely about that maladministration and about those communications.
“But I would like to see the Government go further but we have to face the facts that we have a difficult financial inheritance that’s come from the Tories.”
Robertson also pointed out to O’Kane that Sarwar had also said Waspi women would “receive the justice they deserved”.
Asked if any of the women believed they were receiving justice, O’Kane said: “Well look there was an apology yesterday which I think is an important step - a recognition that there has been maladministration.
“But as I said Gary in my previous comment to you there, I do think the Government need to go further.
“I do think we need to look at redress, particularly for those poorest women who’ve been impacted.”
The SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has called for a Commons vote on the issue.
Writing on Twitter/X, he said: “There must be a Commons vote on Labour’s decision to betray the Waspi campaigners.
“All those Labour MPs who once pretended to back Waspi must now be faced with the voting lobbies.”
There must be a Commons vote on Labour’s decision to betray the WASPI campaigners. All those Labour MPs who once pretended to back WASPI must now be faced with the voting lobbies. @WASPI_Campaign pic.twitter.com/cUThG5CPpU
— Stephen Flynn MP (@StephenFlynnSNP) December 18, 2024
O’Kane was then pressed further on where Scottish Labour’s influence on Westminster is given that Sarwar’s party have spoken out against policies the UK Government is continuing with, such as cuts to the Winter Fuel Payment and keeping the two-child cap.
The MSP denied Sarwar and his colleagues are being “ignored at every turn” and said it was working at the “heart of a UK Labour Government”.
Asked specifically where the influence can be found, O’Kane said it was in the “largest increase to the Scottish Government’s budget in the history of devolution”.
O’Kane then refused to be drawn on whether or not Scottish Labour would commit to compensate Waspi women at the next Holyrood election.
He once again repeated his suggestion that he wanted to see the UK Government go further and award compensation for Waspi women.
Also speaking to Good Morning Scotland was Anne Potter – the co-ordinator for Waspi Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Dunbartonshire and Renfrewshire.
She said: “I have spoken to Paul O’Kane in the past, he joins us on our cross-party group in Holyrood.
“I’m waiting on a reply from Anas Sarwar on what his stance is on the whole situation because he has also been showing support for us throughout the time we’ve spent in the cross-party group in Holyrood.
“I would like to know what Scottish Labour’s stance is with this so I’m hoping we can get some answers today.”
It comes as the Scottish Greens called on Sarwar to stand up against his party’s Westminster leader on behalf of Waspi women.
MSP Maggie Chapman said: “It’s time for Anas Sarwar to stop dancing to Keir Starmer’s dreadful tune – he needs to grow a spine before it’s too late.
“We know that Anas used to support fast, fair and full compensation for these women who have been ignored by politicians for decades.
“It’s time for him and his Labour colleagues to show it by standing up to Downing Street. Since taking power in June, Labour have cut the Winter Fuel Payment and retained the cruel two-child benefit cap.
“Now they are betraying millions of women all across the UK. I have no doubt that this will come to haunt Anas Sarwar if he doesn’t stand up to this dishonest and penny-pinching Prime Minister.
“I hope that Anas Sarwar will put people and principles before his party. Waspi women don’t have time to wait for fantasy economics, they need fair compensation now.”
