Labour called out for its 'contempt' of WASPI women and their compensation claim

An MP backing has blasted the Government for its "contempt" of the WASPI campaign (Women Against State Pension Inequality) women.

SNP MP Dave Doogan spoke during a debate in the Commons to call attention to the issue, after Labour announced last year there would be no compensation payouts for the 1950s-born women.

These women were affected when their state pension age increased from 60 top 65 and then 66, and they claim many of them did not know of the change, as they were not properly informed by the DWP.

A previous report from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman found the DWP had not properly communicated the change and that they should have sent out letters to advise the women sooner, recommending payouts ranging from £1,000 to £2,950.

Yet Labour announced before Parliament at the end of 2024 that there would be no payouts for the women, saying it would have made little difference to write to the women sooner and that most of them knew of the change.

Many individual MPs back the WASPI cause, while some of the political parties support compensation, including the Liberal Democrats and the SNP.

The WASPI dispute was mentioned again in Parliament this week after SNP MP Kirsty Blackman asked the Government to make a statement about how it complies with the ministerial code, namely the principle that key announcements of Government policy should be made before Parliament.

Leader of the House of Commons, Lucy Powell, provided a response, explaining that there have been "many times" where the current Labour Government had made major announcements before Parliament in the first instance.

She gave the examples of plans to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, its policies around prison capacity, as well as "the response to the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s report into the women’s state pension age".

She also explained that sometimes announcements have to be made at times when Parliament is not sitting. But SNP MP Dave Doogan stood up to offer a robust response to Labour's position.

He said: "We have seen the contempt in which the Government hold the WASPI—Women Against State Pension Inequality Campaign—women, pensioners and the disabled, and their contempt for Scotland’s energy sector, job creators and the hospice sector, but that is all a function of policy.

"Policy is discretional and therefore, for better or worse—usually worse—legitimate. Adhering to the ministerial code is not a matter of discretion."

The WASPI campaign recently applied for a judicial review of Labour's decision not to grant compensation, in hopes the high court will rule the decision was not legitimate.

Legal expert Brad W. Huffman, attorney and senior partner at Huffman & Huffman, warned that even if the WASPI women are successful in the review, this does not guarantee they will get compensation.

He said: "A judge can quash the refusal and require fresh consideration, but cannot sign the cheques. Practical compensation depends on three forces working together: a clear judicial finding that the decision‑making process was unlawful, sustained political pressure in Parliament, and public opinion that the cost is justified.

"I have seen liability established in injury cases, yet payment still requires steady pressure. Translating legal success into money is never automatic."