Bedford MP disappointed over Government's decision not to give WASPI compensation
The government's decision to reject the parliamentary ombudsman's recommended compensation for Waspi women has disappointed Bedford MP Mohammad Yasin, who has vowed to continue advocating for affected constituents.
But a minister said it was a “really difficult decision” and is one of many the Government has faced since it took power.
Last week, the prime minister, Keir Starmer, said that taxpayers could not afford the parliamentary ombudsman’s recommended compensation package.
This led to the Labour MP for Bedford, Mohammad Yasin, to post on Facebook (December 19) that he was “profoundly disappointed” by this announcement.
He wrote: “Constituents will know this is an issue that I feel very strongly about, and have campaigned for, alongside Waspi [women against state pension inequality]women of Bedford and Kempston and beyond.
“I appreciate our new government has inherited an incredibly difficult financial position and is taking steps to build strong economic foundations for future growth; nor was compensation for Waspi women in the Labour manifesto at the last election.
“However, I genuinely believe this is a situation that requires a nuanced response and had hoped for government action that reflected that, in accordance with the Ombudsman’s recommendations.”
During her visit to Bedford on Friday (December 20), the crime & policing minister, Dame Diana Johnson, was asked if Bedford’s MP was right to be disappointed.
The minister said: “It was a really difficult decision and I think for many MPs over the years we’ve talked to many of the women affected by the Waspi campaign.
“It was a really hard decision, but as I’ve said many times, the government came in in July and we have been faced with some really difficult decisions.
“How do you tackle the state of the public finances that we were left with, that £22 billion black hole,” she asked.
“So I fully recognised how difficult this is, but in politics you have to deal with what you’re faced with.
“And in July we were faced with some really tough decisions and some measures that I think MPs are rightly really concerned about,” she said.
Mohammad Yasin’s Facebook post added he would continue to work with colleagues to “make the case for Waspi women in Bedford and Kempston”.