Moray SNP News

MORAY MP ON WASPI - UK GOVERNMENT MUST LISTEN TO THE �WILL OF THE PEOPLE�

WOMEN BORN IN THE 1950s UNFAIRLY HIT BY CHANGES TO PENSION AGE

Moray MP, along with other SNP MPs, has further highlighted the gross pensions inequality for women born in the 1950s and has urged the UK Government to “listen to the will of the people” and help the 2.6 million women who have been affected by rapid increases to the state pension age.

The local MP has previously joined local WASPI campaigners on the street and has taken their petition to Westminster. In addition the SNP’s Mr Robertson has used Prime Ministers Question to raise the issue and has backed WASPI campaigners in parliamentary debates and votes on the issue.

In the latest attempt to persuade the Government to take a different tack , SNP MPs led an Opposition Day Debate to keep up the pressure and ensure that the WASPI women receive the pensions they are due. While the SNP led motion received strong cross-party support the UK Tory Government used its parliamentary majority to defeat the motion with 234 MPs for and 293 against.

Speaking after the debate Angus Robertson MP said:

“We have seen WASPI campaigners taking to the streets here in Moray and right across the country to highlight the gross inequality of the Tory Government’s pensions policy.

“This UK Government has treated the women impacted by these changes to the state pension age with utter contempt - women born in the 1950s have had their retirement plans completely shattered and as if this wasn’t bad enough their democratic voice is being ignored by this Tory Government.

“The UK Government must listen to the will of the people and act immediately to introduce transitional measures for the WASPI women.

“Debate after debate in the House of Commons has demonstrated the strength of public opinion on this matter and women across the country are struggling to make ends meet because they have been denied the pension they are due.

“The SNP’s independently-researched report shows that relaxing the rapid increases to the state pension age for women born in the 1950s back to the timetable set out in the 1995 Act would – at £8 billion – be significantly more affordable than the Tories’ claim that it would cost £30 billion.

“Not only that but the National Insurance Fund has a substantial surplus at present, which could quite easily cover this cost.

“Instead of forking out for upgrades to the Palace of Westminster and billions on nuclear weapons, the Tories need to get their priorities right and deliver fairness for the millions of struggling women across the UK.

“The UK Government should use the surplus in the National Insurance Fund to provide immediate relief to these women who have been badly let down are and due their pensions.”