Labour MP Accuses Government Of Behaving Like Flat-Earthers Over Waspi Women

Rebecca Long-Bailey in the CommonsLabour backbencher Rebecca Long-Bailey tore into the government’s refusal to give Waspi women compensation on Thursday, and even claimed ministers have responded like flat-Earthers.The government decided last December not to grant a compensation package to women born in the 1950s who lost out on pension payments, when women’s state pension age was raised to be equal with men.The decision drew major backlash at the time because ministers, including PM Keir Starmer and chancellor Rachel Reeves, had campaigned alongside Waspi – Women Against State Pension Inequality – before getting into office.It also came after the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) advised the government to pay up to £2,950 each – coming to the total cost of £10.5 billion.The Waspi group is now looking for a judicial review to force ministers to reconsider.Long-Bailey, who lost against Keir Starmer in the contest to be Labour leader in 2020, called a debate on the issue this week.She slammed the government’s approach, after work and pensions minister Torsten Bell rejected the Ombudsman’s advice.She said: “I don’t want [Bell] to go down in history as the man who denied justice for the 1950s women, I honestly don’t. I want to see action on this, and I want him to go down as the person who finally, finally managed to award them justice.“But at the moment, he’s got to understand that the arguments being put forward by the government are absurd, to say the least. In fact, they’re akin to somebody arguing that the world is flat, in denying the Ombudsman’s report.”Bell replied: “As honourable members and campaigners on this issue are well aware, we do not agree with the Ombudsman’s approach to injustice or to remedy.”Related...'I Strongly Disagree': Yvette Cooper Hits Back After Ex-Labour MP Attacks GovernmentJeremy Corbyn 'To Set Up New Left-Wing Party' With Former Labour MPLabour Peer 'Deeply Ashamed' At Government's Decision To Ban Palestine Action

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