Falkirk WASPI campaign 'doubly' affected by Covid-19, says member

The Court of Appeal last week rejected a case by women from the BackTo60 campaign group who claimed they faced discrimination when their state pension age (SPA) was increased.

Campaigners had been appealing against a ruling by High Court judges in October 2019, which rejected claims of discrimination.

Many 1950s-born women believe they were robbed of their state pension when the government introduced the changes to the SPA from 60 to 65, and then 66 in line with men, and have branded it “unlawful” and “unfair”.

However, judges unanimously decided the two women did not face discrimination on the grounds of sex and age when the Department of Work and Pensions raised the SPA.

May Rookes, of Falkirk WASPI, wasn’t surprised to learn the case had been dismissed.

The 65-year-old feels current economic circumstances mean it is unlikely she and fellow WASPI campaigners, who first began protesting in 2015, will achieve their objective of fair transitional state pension arrangements.

May also believes the matter has been ignored by the UK Government and Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

She said: “The BackTo60 group were asking for 1950s women to be paid what we’ve lost out on.

“WASPI is different as there was to be a transitional period and we asked the government to meet us in the middle.

“We would’ve liked if they’d paid us from the age of 63, which we thought was a good compromise.

“We’re doubly affected by Covid because the government are having to try to find more money for furlough.

“The Prime Minister’s view was he was going to look at it and now he’s saying he hasn’t got a magic money tree. I don’t think he has even looked at it.

“I would be happy with being met in the middle. I don’t think it will go away and I don’t think WASPI will stop but the longer it goes on, women affected will have reached 66 and it might die a death but hopefully it doesn’t.”

Linlithgow and East Falkirk MP Martyn Day has called on Prime Minister to honour a pledge he made to 1950s-born women.

The SNP politician spoke during Prime Minister’s Questions to ask Boris Johnson “to honour his own words from last year”.

Speaking afterwards, Mr Day said: “Given that the 1950s-born women have lost their case in the Court of Appeal, any restitution for the women affected, 350,000 of whom are in Scotland, needs political action.

“The way WASPI women have been treated is appalling; every one of whom deserves the right to retire with dignity.

“We cannot let the Prime Minister off the hook. He promised very publicly last year to return to this issue with fresh vigour and new eyes and see what he ‘can do to sort it out’.

“This issue won't sort itself out and so far the PM has done next to nothing.

“My SNP colleagues and I have long fought for the UK Government to rectify this shambles and give these women the pension they rightfully deserve and we will continue to do so.”

The Prime Minister undertook to write to Mr Day in response to his question.

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