Frustration over ‘deeply disappointing’ Waspi decision justified, says Sarwar

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Frustration from Waspi women over the “deeply disappointing” decision of the UK Government not to offer compensation is justified, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has said. I think where there is justified frustration is in the blanket no compensation position Anas Sarwar Speaking to STV News, Mr Sarwar said: “I can completely understand, and I believe I was one of the ones that campaigned with them, had photographs with them, I was right to do that, I was right to campaign with them. “I think where there is justified frustration is in the blanket no compensation position.” The UK Government, Mr Sarwar said, had been bogged down in “technical arguments” about what had happened at the Department for Work and Pensions and the Ombudsman report which found maladministration in its handling of the issue. Speaking in the Commons on Tuesday, Ms Kendall said: “These two facts: that most women knew the state pension age was increasing and that letters aren’t as significant as the Ombudsman says, as well as other reasons, have informed our conclusion that there should be no scheme of financial compensation to 1950s-born women, in response to the Ombudsman’s report.” She added: “The alternative put forward in the report is for a flat-rate compensation scheme, at level four of the Ombudsman’s scale of injustice, this would provide £1,000 to £2,950 per person at a total cost of between £3.5 billion and £10.5 billion.