Pensions is a key issue in the forthcoming General Election. The Solent branch of the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign is pressing for fair transitional arrangements for women born in the 1950s who have been hit by state pension age rises with little or no notice.
Group Joint Coordinators, Shelagh Simmons and Carolyne Jacobs, told S&C, ‘Our campaign has gone from strength to strength since the National Demonstration on Budget Day (8th March 2017). The General Election gives us a great chance to build on that and keep the momentum going.’
Nationally, WASPI and partners Connect Communications have:
● Sent letters to all political parties, calling on them to include WASPI in
their manifestos
● Circulated Labour’s manifesto consultation to WASPI supporters via
social media
● Asked all local groups to write to incumbent MPs and candidates urging
them to support WASPI
● Launched # WASPIpledge Twitter account and promoted via Facebook
Locally, WASPI have been writing to candidates from all parties across the Solent Group region(Southampton, Portsmouth, Winchester, South Hampshire and the Isle of Wight) asking them to sign the WASPI Pledge to ‘work in Parliament to find a solution for the women affected’ and tweet photos of support.
Those who have already signed the pledge are:
‘It is a direct and simple way to promise, if elected, to work towards a fair solution for 1950s women and their families,’ said Shelagh and Carolyne. ‘Women affected by the SPA changes have been forced to wait up to an extra 6 years for their state pension, losing as much as £46,000 in the process. WASPI members seek no more, and no less, than they were promised.
‘The General Election is the perfect time for all candidates to stand up and be counted. They can either turn their backs on women who have worked hard all their lives only to be treated so shabbily by the state; or they can acknowledge the obvious injustice we have suffered and commit to putting it right. The choice is theirs and their choice will affect the way we vote.’
Also signed by me, Green Party candidate for Portsmouth South (although not until after the time this was written).