Ten Labour MPs have backed a bill that would compel the government to establish a compensation scheme for women who lost out financially from the rise in the state pension age.
The bill, put forward by Scottish National Party (SNP) Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, passed a vote in the House of Commons on Tuesday afternoon by 105 votes to zero.
Last March, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) recommended compensation of £1000 to £2950 per person – a package with a potential total cost of £10.5 billion – after it was concluded that failures in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) meant pension age changes were not properly communicated.
But on 17 December, work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall told the House of Commons that paying up to £10.5 billion in compensation to the Waspi women would not be a “fair or proportionate use” of taxpayers’ money.
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Flynn’s bill would require ministers to publish measures to address the findings of the PHSO report.
The ten Labour MPs who backed the Women’s State Pension age (Ombudsman report and compensation scheme) bill were as follows:
- Jonathan Brash (Hartlepool)
- Julia Buckley (Shrewsbury)
- Neil Duncan-Jordan (Poole)
- Chris Hinchliff (North East Hertfordshire)
- Terry Jermy (South West Norfolk)
- Brian Leishman (Alloa and Grangemouth)
- Emma Lewell-Buck (South Shields)
- Melanie Onn (Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes)
- Jon Trickett (Normanton and Hemsworth)
- Steve Witherden (Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr)
The vote will be seen as a symbolic show of support for the compensation proposal as private members’ bills introduced by MPs rarely become law.
In the end, representatives from the SNP, Liberal Democrats, Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), Green Party, Reform UK and Plaid Cymru supported the legislation at its first reading. Two Conservative MPs, Sir Roger Gale and Sir John Hayes, also voted for the bill.
NEW: The SNP secure a symbolic victory as zero MPs vote against Stephen Flynn’s bill calling for a Waspi compensation schemeThread below on the commons chicanery that led to this division 👇
— Josh Self (@josh-self.bsky.social) 2025-01-28T16:43:50.634Z
Commenting on the commons vote and his bill’s progress, Flynn said: “After today’s vote, it’s clear that [Scottish Labour leader] Anas Sarwar and Labour MPs have broken their promises to WASPI women and shown they are incapable of standing up for Scotland.
“Ahead of the UK election, Anas Sarwar promised he would stand up to Keir Starmer but instead he has proven to be spineless in his silence – rolling over and rubber-stamping every damaging decision from Downing Street, no matter the consequences for Scotland.
“Since the election, Scottish Labour MPs have voted to strip the winter fuel allowance from 900,000 Scottish pensioners, pushed thousands of Scottish children into poverty with the two child benefit cap, and now they are backing plans to block compensation for WASPI women.
“No one can credibly claim that is acting in Scotland’s interests – and it speaks volumes that Mr Sarwar lacks the authority to lead his own MPs, let alone Scotland.
“Despite the failure of Labour MPs to vote for the WASPI compensation bill today, it has passed its first hurdle as a result of SNP and opposition party votes. Now the UK government must make time in the parliamentary schedule to ensure the bill can progress.
“Women born in the 1950s have been repeatedly promised compensation – and it’s vital for justice and trust in politics that the Labour government now honours the promises made.”
Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said: “This government clearly cannot face up to the betrayal it inflicted on millions of wronged women. These women were judged to be the victims of a gross injustice but instead of righting this wrong, Conservative and Labour MPs decided to sit on their hands.
“The Liberal Democrats will ensure that this fight does not end here. We will use everything in our power to make the Government see sense and reverse this callous decision.”
Liz Saville Roberts MP, Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader, said: “With one honourable exception, Welsh Labour MPs’ decision to abstain on this bill is disgraceful. These women have been let down time and again by Westminster, and for Labour MPs to sit on their hands when they had the chance to make amends is a betrayal of the promises their party has repeatedly made.
“Welsh Labour figures, including the first minister and secretary of state for Wales, have previously called for compensation for WASPI women. Eluned Morgan and Jo Stevens both declared their solidarity with the campaign and promised action, but when push came to shove, their party failed to deliver.
“Plaid Cymru stands firmly with WASPI women in their fight for justice. This issue transcends party politics – it’s about fairness and trust. If politicians continue to break their promises, they further erode public trust in Westminster. The women who lost out on their pensions deserve compensation, not more empty words.”
Josh Self is Editor of Politics.co.uk, follow him on Bluesky here.
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