- CC Alan Cullens has criticised yet further hypocrisy from Keir Starmer relating to his government’s response to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s report into State Pension age communications.
- Labour spent years saying they would deliver compensation for WASPI women, just as they made promises to pensioners about protecting the Winter Fuel Payment and to farmers and small businesses. These women were willing to give Labour their vote, and trust, just to be betrayed.
- The Conservatives are calling on Labour to take responsibility for this decision – and their wider assault on pensioners caused by the scrapping of ten million Winter Fuel Payments, leaving pensioners choosing between heating and eating this winter.
County Councillor Alan Cullens has criticised the hypocrisy of Keir Starmer’s Labour Government after confirming there would be no financial compensation for WASPI women in Chorley, despite many Labour MPs and candidates campaigning on the issue and leading voters on for years.
This follows the Ombudsman’s earlier finding that there had been maladministration between 2005-07 under the last Labour Government.
In opposition, Keir Starmer and the Labour Party promised to back pensioners, farmers, and small businesses. In return, they were willing to support Labour candidates across the country who they believed would keep to their word.
But just like Keir Starmer has broken his promises to them, the Labour Government has also now broken its promises to the WASPI women.
Without any warning, the Labour Government has announced that they will not deliver on the promises they made to WASPI women. For many, this announcement will come as a shock following the past support and promises in opposition from senior Labour figures – including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, and Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall.
Just last year, Keir Starmer said that the women affected by the changes have been put in an ‘awful position’ and it’s ‘a huge injustice’. While in 2019, Liz Kendall described herself as a ‘longstanding supporter of the WASPI campaign’. It is not unreasonable for voters to consider Labour a backer of their cause.
But instead, the Labour Government is leaving a long trail of broken promises because they were willing to do and say anything to get elected, even if they knew they would not deliver it.
Instead of blaming others, Labour must take responsibility for their decisions and failure to stick to their word. The country’s financial position now is a result of the political choices they are making.
In government, the Conservatives fully cooperated with the Ombudsman and their investigation and continually increased the State Pension so that both men and women received a better deal. Thanks to Conservative increases to the State Pension increased by £3,700 between 2010 and 2024.
Commenting, Alan Cullens said:
“This Labour government have been characterised by their assault on pensioners – from the WASPI women hypocrisy to their decision to scrap ten million Winter Fuel Payments.
“Labour attempted to sneak this announcement in, before Christmas, with no warning because they lack the courage to take responsibility for their choices, which are being paid for by pensioners in Chorley.
Helen Whately MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions said:
“It’s no surprise that Labour have broken the promises they made to WASPI women in opposition.
“Yet again, they said one thing to get elected and are now doing another. Just like they had ‘no plans’ to take the Winter Fuel Payment from 10 million pensioners. They shouldn’t expect to get away with this hypocrisy.
“Instead of trying to blame their decisions on everyone else, for once they should own the choice that they’ve made.”
