The Pembrokeshire and Carmarthen West Group of WASPI women have stated that they are ‘furious’ following the announcement this week by the Labour UK Government deciding upon a u-turn in not compensating 50s women.

Local WASPI organiser, Jackie Gilderdale, said women across the UK are furious with the UK Government and in particular Labour MP Liz Kendall, stating she misled the House of Commons with her statement saying that 90% knew about the SPA rise.

Jackie said that she was ‘deeply sorry’ about the announcement, but what did 50s women expect?

“We’ve been warning about this for a long time. So many women were led to the garden path of a non legally binding PHSO process, seeking only partial maladministration for the few. It was never going to stand,” she remarked.

‘There’s a plethora of evidence of breached domestic and international laws and even recently CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women) strengthened the fact that the law is on the side of all 50s women!

“Why have WASPI leaders not jumped all over the new report by the IFS Pensions Review, pointing out the need for mitigations for the vulnerable when changes are made to SPA?

“50s women have been treated absolutely brutally by successive Governments and many will never recover

“The sub postmasters went through hell for over 20 years, before the truth was exposed!

“For the interim we are recommending everyone to sign the petition calling for an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and the petition calling for a public inquiry.

“We will lobby MPs to call for a statutory inquiry based on similar lines to the sub postmasters,” continued Jackie.

Jackie said, the fight goes on until WASPI women get mediation and a statutory inquiry for the truth to be exposed.

Both Jackie and Kay Clarke from the 1950s Women of Wales and beyond will be meeting with Plaid Cymru politicians Senedd Member Delyth Jewell and MP Ben Lake MP Plaid Cymru in the new year, as they’re support for 50s women has been phenomenal throughout.

Jackie has also requested a meeting with Rebecca Long Bailey MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for State Pension Injustice in January.

“Now is the time for the leaders of all 50s women groups to come together around a table to agree the best way forward, to get the best outcome and that will include the breaches of law; proven discrimination and CEDAW,” she added.