Labour minister squirms as she is skewered by Sky News’ Kay Burley over Government’s abandonment of WASPI women in excruciating on-air spat_Nhy
A Labour minister was left squirming this morning as she attempted to defend the Government’s decision to deny compensation to WASPI women.
Rushanara Ali was repeatedly challenged in a TV interview about past Labour promises to seek redress for women affected by changes to the state pension age.
In a grilling by Sky News‘ presenter Kay Burley, the communities minister said going ahead with a £10.5billion compensation package would not be ‘fair or proportionate’.
She added that the Government was focused on improving the living standards of pensioners’.
During the excruciating on-air clash, both women could be heard repeatedly talking over each other, with Ms Ali urged to ‘stay on topic’.
The Labour minister was also pressed over many pensioners feeling betrayed by her party after senior figures previously backed WASPI campaigners while in opposition.
PM Sir Keir Starmer, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall are among Labour frontbenchers who previously appeared in photographs alongside WASPI women to lend their support to the group.
Addressing the pictures, Burley said: ‘Liz Kendall has been pictured with the WASPI campaign promising to deliver a fair solution, as has Rachel Reeves, as has Keir Starmer. Can you understand why people don’t believe a word you say?’
Ms Ali replied: ‘I go back to the point about the lessons that need to be learned, and the fact that this Government has apologised for that delay.
‘But we’ve got to focus on the issues at hand, in terms of improving the living standards of pensioners.’
Sky News presenter Kay Burley (right) got into a heated exchange with communities minister Rushanara Ali (left) live on-air while discussing Labour’s decision to deny compensation to WASPI women
The broadcaster tore into communities minister Rushanara Ali (pictured) as she was repeatedly challenged about previous Labour promises to compensate the ‘WASPI women’
Burley was also quick to highlight how many pensioners feel betrayed by Labour after previously backing the campaign while the party was in opposition. Pictured: Keir Starmer posing with WASPI women campaigners in 2018
Rachel Reeves has also defended the decision to block the compensation despite having previously been photographed backing the campaign.
In a media interview today the Chancellor said the massive payout was not ‘the best use of taxpayers’ money’ and suggested only a small number of women has been unaware of the change.
Ms Reeves said: ‘I understand that women affected by the changes to the state pension age feel disappointed by this decision, but we looked in full at the ombudsman recommendations and they said that around 90 per cent of women did know that these changes were coming.
‘And as Chancellor, I have to account for every penny of taxpayers’ money spent.
‘And given that the vast majority of people did know about these changes, I didn’t judge that it would be the best use of taxpayers’ money to pay an expensive compensation bill for something that most people knew was happening.’
It came as the decision to block redress was condemned by the watchdog who recommended it.
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) watchdog said the women should be paid up to £2,950 each, a package with a potential total cost of £10.5 billion to the public purse, as poor communication meant they had lost out on the change to plan their retirement finances.
On Tuesday, Ms Kendall rejected this recommendation. The PM insisted last night he could not add to the ‘burden’ on taxpayers despite the government apologising for delays in sending out letters telling them about the change.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves proudly posed for photographs in 2020 alongside Waspi campaigners
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has also previously shown her support for the campaign having posed with two WASPI women in 2019
Liz Kendall, who on Tuesday rejected the The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) watchdog’s recommendation to compensate the WASPI women, poses with campaigners in 2019
Rebecca Hilsenrath, the ombudsman, told Times Radio: ‘It’s great that the Government are saying that our intervention will lead to service improvements and it’s fair to say also that people who come to us, overwhelmingly, are motivated by wanting things to improve for other people.
‘But what we don’t expect is for an acknowledgement to be made by a public body that it’s got it wrong but then refuse to make it right for those affected.’
Senior Labour figures, including Ms Reeves, Sir Keir, Angela Rayner and Ms Kendall, all backed the women’s campaign in opposition.
In 2022, Sir Keir signed a pledge calling for the women affected to receive ‘fair and fast’ compensation. Last year, he said they had faced a huge injustice’.
But on Monday, the Prime Minister said the Government could not afford the estimated £10.5billion cost – which would have seen a payout of up to £3,000 to each of the more than 3million affected.
The decision triggered a wave of anger with Angela Madden, chairman of the Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) group, describing it as an ‘insult’.
In the Commons, Ms Kendall faced a backlash from Labour MPs and cries of ‘shame’.
Labour MP Brian Leishman said he was ‘appalled’ by the decision, telling Ms Kendall: ‘Waspi women certainly do not need words of disappointment and they certainly do not need hollow statements. What they need is justice.’
