Keir Starmer pushed to make huge WASPI U-turn after latest humiliation

The WASPI Women have demanded that Keir Starmer now make a third welfare u-turn and cave into their demands for compensation after last night's climbdown on PIP cuts.

The Prime Minister marked his second big flip-flop late last night as he gave in to rebel MPs' demands for reductions to planned cuts from the welfare bill.

It came after he already confirmed a £1.25 billion u-turn on Winter Fuel cuts. The Women Against State Pension Inequality, who want compensation for a decision to increase the state pension age, are now calling for a final win on welfare from the Labour Government. This morning, they demanded that the PM concede over what they describe as the final "third betrayal".

Chairman of the group Angela Madden said: "Winter fuel and the PIP are but two of Labour's major political mistakes and betrayals."

"Compensation to WASPI women should now make for a hat trick of u-turns.

"The independent Ombudsman's report was clear in endorsing compensation for 1950s women. Ministers should stop wasting taxpayers' money fighting us in court and agree to honour that recommendation."

In March 2024 the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman said that women born in the 1950s should be compensated around £3,000 each by the Department for Work and Pensions over a failure to communicate pension age changes.

Keir Starmer and Welfare Secretary Liz Kendall have said they will not be paying out, sparking fury from campaigners who said they had been given assurances by Labour MPs.

In December the PM said the taxpayer "simply can't afford the burden of tens of billions of pounds of compensation".

Shelagh Simmons from Solent WASPI said: "We are baffled why those Labour politicians who stood with us, campaigning with placards, have now changed their tune."

"Parliament should be dealing with this, the government has bypassed them and set itself up as judge, jury and sentencer, which is an issue for everybody."

The total compensation being asked for by the group would come to at least £10 billion, with 3.6 million women affected receiving £2,950.

The women in question had to work for around six years longer than expected as a result of changes passed into law three decades ago.

Some MPs are still calling for compensation, including for Labour leadership contender Rebecca Long-Bailey who has called for a backbench business debate on the issue next week.

She explained the need for the fresh debate, saying: "MPs in huge numbers across the house have continued to campaign and use every parliamentary tool at our disposal.

"We have now sought to bring this staggering injustice before Government once again and to outline the options Government must now consider to finally provide the redress these women deserve."