Andy Burnham has expressed support for compensating women affected by changes to the State Pension age, raising the possibility of multibillion-pound payments for WASPI campaigners should he become Labour leader.
Burnham's stance on WASPI compensation
The Greater Manchester Mayor told a hustings in Makerfield that he was "uncomfortable" with politicians who supported the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign but failed to deliver on promises. While Labour was in opposition, senior figures including Sir Keir Starmer backed the campaign, which argues that the increase in the State Pension age from 60 to 65 was poorly communicated. However, since taking office, the party has refused compensation, most recently ruling out payments in January 2026.
At the hustings hosted by the Manchester Evening News, Burnham stated: "I have long supported the campaign and I feel uncomfortable when politicians were all holding up their banner and then got into government and didn’t do anything. So I stick by the campaigns that I support. I stuck by the Hillsborough families and I will stick by the WASPI women because they deserve some recompense for the unfairness."
Background on the WASPI campaign
The WASPI campaign contends that women born in the 1950s received inadequate notice of the 1995 law change that raised their state pension age to 65, aligning it with men's. The campaign estimates 3.6 million women were affected. A report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) recommended compensation of between £1,000 and £2,950 per person, potentially totaling over £10 billion. The PHSO found that while initial communication met standards, the government should have conducted a targeted campaign after 2004 to inform affected women.
Last month, WASPI campaigners confirmed a fresh legal challenge against the UK Government over its refusal to introduce a compensation scheme. Angela Madden, chair of the WASPI campaign, said: "The Government has had every opportunity to do the right thing for WASPI women. Instead, they have made a political choice that risks alienating voters in hundreds of marginal seats across the country. Labour MPs have seen the electoral data. They know WASPI women have the numbers to unseat them. Yet ministers continue to ignore the independent Ombudsman, their own backbenchers, and millions of voters."
Burnham's comments signal a potential shift in Labour's position on the issue, though he faces competition from other leadership contenders. The WASPI campaign continues to seek justice through legal and political channels.
