Support for Gwent pension campaigners

Nick Thomas-Symonds MP and I met with Gwent-based campaigners from the Women Against State Pensions Inequality (WASPI) group in Newport this week. Women Against State Pensions Inequality are calling on the UK Government to make fair transitional arrangements for all women born after 1951 who have borne the burden of the increase to the State Pension Age.

A petition in support of the campaign has garnered over 152,000 online signatures, forcing a parliamentary debate on the topic on the 1st February. However, the Department for Work and Pensions still states that there are ‘no plans’ to alter State Pension Age arrangements for the age group hit by changes.

It was a pleasure to catch up with local campaigners from Women Against State Pension Inequality, and I am fully supportive of their campaign.

Hundreds of thousands of women across Britain – including many in Newport West – have had retirement plans scuppered by rushed changes to pension arrangements. The Conservative UK Government needs to stop burying its head in the sand on this issue – the fact that Ministers have refused to meet with WASPI campaigners is shameful.

To sign the WASPI-backed petition to the UK Government, visit https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/110776

Here’s a link to the South Wales Argus coverage of the campaign: http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/14287332.Protest_over_female_pension_age_comes_to_Newport/