Wigan Waspi campaigner accuses Labour politicians of 'reneging' on their support

Jan Fulster, who was assistant headteacher at St Paul’s Primary School in Goose Green, accused Labour politicians of “reneging” on their support for the women who were affected when the state pension age was raised.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman earlier this year asked Parliament to intervene and “act swiftly” to make sure a compensation scheme was established for the women involved.

But work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall announced on Tuesday that the Government did not believe paying a flat rate to women at a cost of up to £10.5 billion would be a fair or proportionate use of taxpayers’ money.

It has led to outrage from members of Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi), who have been campaigning on behalf of those affected.

Jan Fulster, who lives in Hawkley Hall and is a co-ordinator for the Greater Manchester Waspi group, said people were “devastated”.

She said: “We have had discussions over the last six, seven, eight years with the opposition, ie the current Government, and they have been very willing to support us. We have had lots of pictures with them pledging support for the 1950s women.

"When it’s actually come to it and they are in a position to do something about it, not just off their own back but from what the Parliamentary ombudsman has said, they are reneging on it and not following through.”

She said some women were “in very dire straits” due to the pension age change, with some losing more than £40,000.

Mrs Fulster added: “This feels very much like a kick in the teeth. It feels very much as if we have been led down a path and they have reneged on what it was felt that they would do.”

She insisted the Waspi woman were not giving up, but planned to appeal to the 300 MPs who supported them, some of whom have already shared their views on X, in the hope the Government would change its mind.