BY stewartb

Labour’s Jackie Baillie has made much of her support for the WASPI women. The official website of Labour in Scotland’s Deputy Leader still has this from 7 November 2018: ‘MP AND MSP CALL FOR WOMEN AFFECTED BY STATE PENSION CHANGES TO GET INVOLVED IN WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE WASPI GROUP’.

‘Jackie said: “I am delighted that local women are willing to take the WASPI campaign forward, to raise awareness and gather more support locally. WASPI women have been badly affected by the DWP’s State Pension Changes, they have been given little or no notice and no time to plan for their future.

“The news that the Parliamentary Ombudsman will be taking forward six test cases is a positive step forward. I hope that this will demonstrate the detrimental impact that these changes have had on women up and down the country and hopefully MAKE THIS TORY GOVERNMENT SEE SENSE.” (my emphasis)

And still on her website dated 20 April 2018: ‘HUNDREDS OF WOMEN ATTEND WASPI MEETING IN DUMBARTON’

‘Jackie said: “The changes to the state pension age have affected thousands of women here in my constituency, and right across Scotland.”

And: “These pension changes should have been made much more slowly over time, allowing women a chance to make plans for their later retirement. Instead thousands of women have been PUSHED INTO POVERTY, with the Tory Government REFUSING TO LISTEN TO THEIR CONCERNS, OR ACT TO HELP THEM.’

Perhaps more significantly, this is from a speech in Holyrood in 2019: (https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report/search-what-was-said-in-parliament/meeting-of-parliament-03-04-2019?meeting=12038&iob=108927#1783)

‘Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): “.. I welcome the WASPI campaigners from my constituency and across Scotland who are in the gallery, and I encourage colleagues to meet them after the debate to learn more about the impact on them and WHAT EACH OF US CAN DO TO HELP WITH THE CAMPAIGN.”

“More than 2.5 million women who were born in the 1950s have had their state pension age changed without fair notification—in fact, it is probably true to say that many of them have had it changed without any notification at all. Those women deserve recognition for the injustice that they have suffered, an apology for the way in which their complaints have been handled AND COMPENSATION FOR THEIR LOSS.

And: “I had the pleasure of organising a meeting for WASPI women in Dumbarton to which hundreds upon hundreds of women came. I congratulate my local WASPI groups in Argyll and Bute and West Dunbartonshire. I STAND SIDE BY SIDE WITH THEM TO ADDRESS THE INJUSTICE THAT THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED, AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE IN THE PARLIAMENT TO JOIN THE FIGHT. WASPI WOMEN DESERVE JUSTICE.”

Will Mr Sarwar stand side by side with the WASPI women? If Mr Sarwar and Ms Baillie’s boss in London won’t stand side by side with them, will all those ‘hundreds upon hundreds ‘ of women in West Dunbartonshire wonder what difference having a leading Labour in Scotland politician’s ‘support’ make?