WASPI campaign call for MP vote on compensation gets 150,000 supporters | Personal Finance | Finance
An open letter calling for MPs to have a vote on compensation for WASPI women has been backed by 150,000 people in just 10 days.
The letter to Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt is urging Parliament to hold a debate and vote on the WASPI (Women against state pension inequality) issue.
A recent report from the Parliamentary Health and Service Ombudsman recommended the generation of women affected should get compensation, and called on Parliament to take action.
Frances Neil, South East Essex Co-coordinator for WASPI, the campaign group is pressing on with trying to get more MPs to pledge their support.
She told Express.co.uk: “Co-ordinators of groups across the country are making sure that our members know about the open letter, and making sure they know they should be seeking support from their MPs.
“We’re also talking to parliamentary candidates where we know that they are as yet, so we can get in on the ground floor should there be a quick election.”
She said the campaigners have had a “positive” response from many of the candidates and MPs they have spoken to so far and that they are seeking support from politicians across the political spectrum.
Ms Neil said: “It has taken us a matter of days to get 150,000 signatures on this letter, I think it is high profile. It is high profile amongst those who are going to be in the Houses of Parliament after the recess.”
The ombudsman’s report recommended compensation in line with level 4 of its banding, which would mean payouts of between £1,000 and £2,950.
But some MPs have previously spoken out to urge compensation payments of £10,000 or more.
Ms Neil said: “What we’ve been saying to women is, your MP is there to work for you, so make sure they are supporting you. That’s their role as a constituency MP.
“And to make sure they’ve got all the information they need, which is now awash in press and online, because the campaign is as rife and as bold and as busy as ever.
“I think people can be of no doubt that that is uppermost in a lot of people’s minds, because they are coming across it regularly.”
A DWP spokesperson told Express.co.uk previously: “We will consider the Ombudsman’s report and respond in due course, having cooperated fully throughout this investigation.
“The Government has always been committed to supporting all pensioners in a sustainable way that gives them a dignified retirement whilst also being fair to them and taxpayers.
“The state pension is the foundation of income in retirement and will remain so as we deliver a further 8.5 percent rise in April which will increase the state pension for 12 million pensioners by £900.”
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